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BY 



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1899. 

THE H. E. McLaren press. 

Astoria, Illinois. 






38410 

Copyrighted 1S99, 
By C. C. McIiAREN. 



All Rights Resermd. 



"wwupiES «£C£IVcO. 



JUMd^ 1899 



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Qua V?>.q^q, 



TO THOSE 

Who distinguish a fact from an authorized truth, 

Who nourish their years at the fountain of youth, 

Who await a solution of whither and whence, 

To a possible future, ari unknow7i hence— 

Is this Book dedicated. 

THE AUTHOR, 



"Prefflice. 



In presenting this I have no fears, 
Ot causing many sighes or tears; 
In this bright world there's little room, 
For sighs and sorrows, tears and gloom. 

You may not Sir, have read it through, 
Pentateuch, Prophets, Priest, King and Jew, 
Twill save you trouble then, and time, 
To now glance through this little rhyme. 

It may provoke from some a sneer. 
Others may express a doubt or fear; 
If you are bound to church or creed, 
I'm sorry for you, Sir, indeed. 

But if that, Sir, is your worst fault. 
Brush it one side and do not halt. 
And if you never laughed before, 
I'll bet you smile — bet two to four — 



That you will never lay it down, 
'Til in it comfort you have found; 
You may be sad, perhaps not glad, 
But you'd be foolish to be mad. 

The only apology, I now make, 
I may have made just one mistake. 
And waited, maybe. Sir, too long. 
To save the weak, as well as strong. 

But if you're broad and high and free, 
Just come along and march with me; 
I'm glad to meet a strong, clear mind. 
And feel akin to human-kind. 

I love to see a manly m^n. 
Who on two feet can squarelv stand, 
Who has no dust upon his knees. 
And in whose hat there is no fleas. 

When I say him, I mean her too, 
Now don't you say I've slighted you;. 
I mean the* one to make, it plain, 
On whose free soul there is no chain. 



If you think different that's your loss, 
I do not pose, Sir. as your boss; 
It may be, too, we haye the right 
To disagree, but not to fight. 

Just to contend for what is ours 
Is not a crime, unless it sours 
Our dispositions and our mind; 
What, e'er you do be not unkind. 

We disaigree about some things. 
That all ther& is is ruled by kings; 
That a Monark somewhere up above, 
Demands our service and our love. 

About that thing we must contend, 
But I don't know — so that's the end — 
You have the right, say what you please, 
If it doth give your conscience ease. . 

You have all rights that I possess, 
What I don't know, Sir, you may guess, 
To live in doubt, then, is not treason, 
But if you know, then give a reason. 



Against this rule there is no law, 
So you run home and ask your — r-priest, 
And he'll tell you, if honor bright, 
That darkness, again, is mixed with light. 

This, I think then is about right, 
And so I say turn to the light; . \ 

Ring out the old, ring in the new, 
What's good for me is best for you. 

Let your free mind in transport soar, 
Vou know as much, and perhaps more 
Of the unknown, than any Priest 
Who wore a robe at any feast, 

As any King upon a throne, 
All know the same, of the unknown; 
Throughout all space in nature's relm, 
Eternal law sits at the helm, 

And guides all things safe into port. 
No matter who doth hold the fort, 
We'r not essential to the plan 
All are alike from germ to man. 



The worlds move on without our aid— r 
Will never miss us. I'm afraid; 
The (lovers will bloom, the birds will sing, 
Winter give place toverdent spring. 

Summer will come and then the fall, 
We cannot disturb this law at all; 
All we can do is fail and die, 
We can't beat death, 8ir,- if we tryi 

After scanning, then, the whole thing through, 
I give you this as my plain view; 
These facts and fancies, then, are mine. 
The judgement, therefore, truly thine. 



S 




Likerty^ LoVe Q^nel LoiW. 



CHAPTER I. 

Away out somewhere, in the morning of time, 
The Lord cast about, some place to find, 
Where out of nothing— now think, if you can, 
The troubles he had — to make Earih and Man. 

So, choosing this ball on which we now stand. 
Composed of some water, rocks and diy land, 
A marvelous structure of a complex kind, 
Conceived and fashioned bv an all-wise mind. 



2 lilBERTY, I^OTE Al^D I^AW. 

Teaming with a plenty of ripe fruit to eat, 
Not a Jew in the garden, our parents to beat; 
Perhaps at this time it would hardly be fair. 
To claim he made Satan and put him in there, 

To tempt our parents to pluck the wrong fruit, 
Thus losing their job, and position to boot; 
Maybe we ought not, know good from evil, 
And, maybe for facts, we ought thank the devil: 

But letting that pass, it appears at a glance. 
Thai this earth was made, or else came by chance; 
The beauty and grandeur of euih, sea and sky, 
Like a grand panarama, pleasing to the eye. 

Man certainly was made to just fit the earth. 
Since he starts in, from the day of his birth, 
To bear both the seed of li e and of death, 
The conflict endin^i: with his la.^t breath. 




THE FIRST WOMAN. 



CHAPTER II. 



Thus, prefacing a story, so briefly told, 
Great oceans of dross, few grains of gold; 
Beginning at once, it seems that the plan, 
Was to first make dirt, and then make man. 

Being room a plenty, no want of space, 
He next looked around to find him a place 
Where water in abundance flows — 
Where fruit and snakes and such things grows. 

Now, how this garden spot was made. 
Without a grubbing hoe or spade, 
Is none of the affair of ours. 
The soil was good for raising flowers, 

Forbidden fruit and other things, as well 
As this and that, the Lord forgot to tell. 
One thing, at least, is absolutely plain. 
The dirt was good for raising Cain. 

For. no sooner was man made from clay. 
Than he moped round both night and day. 
Not knowing thru what else to do. 
Could neither drink. n')r smoke, nor chew. 



LIBERTY, LOVE AND LAW. 

And being young (at least not old,) 
He wanted then a wife to scold; 
The nothing gone, I do believe 
He took a rib and made him Eve; 

You can't beat that. Sir if you try, 
And layed her in the sun to dry, 
And oh, how bad did Adam feel! 
As his sore side he tried to heal. 

At first, not knowing, 'twas not plain, 
How his sad loss could be our gain, 
How one lone rib would help the race. 
This rib at least seemed out of place. 

He had a chance, 'tis said, to choose 
No bone nor flesh need he to loose; 
He had his choice of all the beas's, 
From the largest to the very least; 

Had named them all from horse to hound. 
Yet for man, there was no helpmate found; 
Someone was needed that could talk, 
And through the garden with him walk; 



THE HEIjP mate. 

Could wield a hoe as well as spade, 
And scold him when he made a trade; 
Help him to keep the front yard clean 
And vex him, too, by acting mean — 

To cook the meals and make the bed, 
And see that all the stock was fed, 
The pigs to slop, the cows to pail, 
While he brought home the daily mail. 

That he needed help was very plain, 
Through heat and cold as well as rain; 
She brought to him his chiefest joys. 
And was a mother to his boys. 

When ready made, as well as dried. 
She took her place by Adam's side; 
At first she caused him some surprise, 
Which made him open wide his eyes. 

Some fruit she showed him on a tree. 
That, up to date, he did not see; 
'Twould make them wise, and please the eye 
To pluck and eat some they did try. 



6 I.IBERTY, liOTE AIST) luAW. 

Now, this story's true or else a fib. 
And man is short. Sir, just one rib; 
Or else 'tis false, and who's to blame, 
We've got the woman, just the same. 

Half our misery, most of our joys, 
Come with the woman, the girls and the boys; 
We wilHngly take the trouble it brought. 
And thank the Lord for His second thought. 

Forgive Him all other mistakes He made, 
And are perfectly satisfied, with the rib trade. 
For life alone is drear indeed, 
With no one but yourself to feed; 

You can't be happy if you try, 
Unless You've heard a baby cry, 
And loved it's mother beyond price — 
Such love ne'er dwelt in Paradice. 

What if our parents there had stayed, 
Basked in the sunshine and the shade, 
No knowledge e're had come between 
The cogs of that divine machine? 



TROUBJuES COMMENCE. 

Knowing not the evil from the good, 
They'd as well have been a stick of wood; 
Enjoy no pleasures, feel no pain, 
Nothing to loose, the same to gain. 

Of course they'd always nothing be, 
That's plain to you, as well as me; 
But somehow satan came from hence, 
And found a crack left in the fence, 

Through which his majesty then crawled. 
The lyons roared, the wild-cats squalled, 
A blizzard came from the north-west, 
And Eve then cried, "Pull down your vest!" 

And from that very self-same hour. 
Apples were green and grapes were sour; 
Now, of stormy times, this was the chief, 
And all they wore was a thin fig leaf. 

When the storm had passed, all you could see. 
Was dead brown leaves on every tree; 
Except, perhaps, the tree of Life, 
That he stood under with his wife; 



8 lilBERTY, LOVE AIS^D LAW. 

An 1 for fear they'd never pay their board, 
[le round about it hung His sword, 
Turned Adam and his poor wife out. 
And made a great big fuss, about — 

A few small apples they did eat, 
Bccaus tint satan had Him beat 
Out of the good things He had made. 
While He was resting in the shade. 

For you must know the day was hot, 
When they this fruit, of knowledge got, 
That grew upon that wondrous tree, 
And would perhaps make mankind free. 

Jehova walked in when it got cool. 

And showed them they had played the fool; 

Twas not designed for that at all. 

But to cause him harm, perhaps a fall. 

Now, just how long a time they spent 
In Eden's bower, scot free of rent , 
I do not know, nor do I care. 
They were hardly treated on the square; 



DAWN OF KNOWT^EDGE. 



He knew they'd do just as they did, 
This thing from Him, then, was not hid, 
He should have said to them repent, 
Or else chuck up and pay the rent. 

Why plant the tree, and let it bear? 
I say the thing, Sir, don't look fair; 
But since the fruit was good to pull, 
They should have filled their pockets full. 

At least, I'm glad they saved the seed, 
Being just the kind we so much need; 
So thanks to Satan and mother Eve. 
Those are the ones, I do believe — 

That gave us knowledge and other things, 
Made women angels, without wings? 
There's no pretense that this is true, 
Nor that the fall doth injure you. 

He should have stayed with ihem all day, 
And taught them how and what to play. 
And not pretend to be surprised, 
Since He is said to be all-wise. 



lO I.IBERTY, liOVE AIST) liAW. 

And, knowing that the fruit was good, 
He knew they could, and knew they would, 
Pluck the ripe fruit on that same tree. 
Be thus turned out, and thus be free. 

One fact they learned, they did indeed, 
That of clothing they were in sore need; 
This thing I say. Sir, by your leave. 
For all we know, thank mother Eve. 

For she it was, to make things plain, 
VVho started trouble by raising Cain; 
No one need blame grand mother Eve, 
Her tastmg the fruit no one deceived. 

Now there's just one thing we cannot see; 
If the fruit that grew on that same tree. 
Was not intended for children to eat, 
There must have somewhere been a cheat. 

In planting a tree or growing fruit, where 
The children could reach it, or even care 
Anything about tasting it at all, 
Especially, if the apples were sour or small; 



VIRTUES REWARD 11 

But so it was, as the story goes, 
They ate the fruit and went without clothes, 
'Til the Lord by chance, detected the thief, 
And then they dressed up in a g^reen fig leaf. 

To satan this was all very fine sport 
'Til they were summoned before the high court, 
Cross-questioned, this defence now went lame, 
'Til Adam on his wife put most of the blame; 

And enmity crept between her and the snake, 
When he bit her heel, she his head must break; 
Dust he must eat and in it must crawl. 
While Adam hardly was hurt by the fall. 

Thorns, thistles and weeds now begin to grow, 
While Eve uses the rake, Adam wields the hoe, 
Coming in at night all dripping with sweat, 
Sings baby to sleep, hears his wife fret — 

With headache, toothache, a pain in her side, 
The big boys teasing for a pony to ride — 
In short, it's so different from life in a garden 
Her fig leaf gone she wants a newdolly-varden. 



12 I.IBERTY, I.OVE AND J^AW. 

No wonder in a world, teeming with insect life, 
Trees bearing thorns, a land full of strife, 
Where each creature is arrayed against the othen 
Eyen their eldest son slew Abel, his brother. 

Prophesy a future of happiness and joy, 
With such poor dirt in their first-born boy; 
If there was wisdom on high, it seemsvery plain 
He'd sponge off the slate, begin over again; 

For He knew from the first, equally as well 
Could have, before the previous, as easily tell 
What would happen up to the time of the flood. 
At least if His foresight was -tolerable good, 

That if the man, Cain, was allowed to escape 
Would, in the land of Nod take up with an ape; 
His boys would marry the daughters of men, 
And trouble would surely commene, when 

Saints would begin to people the earth. 
Unless discouraged in concept and birth, 
Save Moses, the meak. all the worry 
Of dashing off history in such a great hurry. 



GENESIS A:Nr AliliEGORY. 13 

So Moses, it appears, sometime during life, 
Or perhaps it was written, then, by his wife, 
Gives us an account of natal creation. 
Himself being chief, of the Jewish nation. 

And, leading a busy and Nomadic life, 
Is cause for laying the thing to his wife; 
It •was written, they say, a long time ago, 
And of course may, and may not, be so. 

He lays no claim to having been there — 
Laying the mistakes to him would hardly be 

fair; 
Of man's faults and frailties he could clear his 

skirt. 
He'd nothing to do with making the dirt; 

Whoever wrote it could not have been bright, 
Or they'd not have got darkness mixed with the 

light. 
Would have known, perhaps, that the earth was 

not level, 
Or thrown some light on who made the devil. 



14 lilBERTY, L.OVE AND I^AW. 

However this may be, I leave it with you — 
One thing seems certain, if the story be true. 
Those big bad boys worried tbeir mother, 
From the day young Cain slew Abel, his brother; 

For, no sooner was Abel tucked under the sod, 
Than Cain emigrated to the land of Nod; 
Wrought in iron and steel, fashioned a knife, 
Next cast about and took him a wife. 

Little wonder those capers made Jehovah mad, 
As fast as He made them they went to the bad; 
But the worst of mischief began to be, when 
The sons of God married the daughters of men; 

From this unnatural union, giants were born. 
Snakes became poison, the rose bore a thorn, 
Gods left their abode in heaven, till then. 
Took up their abode with the children of men. 

With rapine and murder, earth ran red with 

blood, 
Till Jehovah concluded to send on a flood, 
To teach His children, in the absence of schools, 
That water would cleanse the earth of such fools. 



NOAH'S FI.OOD-A LEGEIST). 15 

To save seed on the earth he picked out a man, 
(Now this may sound fishy, believe if you can) 
Who for five hundred years had neglected to 

wed. 
Vet, had been married one hundred years, it is 
' said. 

Now, what bothers us. and would worry a 

preacher, 
Where were their books and their Sunday 

School teacher? 
Jehova manacred all things, no one to meddle, 
Perhaps He was busy, turning the treddle 

To hold moon and stars in their nocturnal 

motion, 
From tumbling ker-splash. right into the ocean. 
Of course it's a guess, but couldn't He see 
Where the boys would go by letting them be? 

But no matter, now, they needed a boat 
Both light and tight, so 'twould easily float 
For days and months, if it needs must be. 
O'er a shoreless ocean and a boundless sea — 



16 lilBERTY, I.OVE AND JjAW. 

Three stories high, three hundred feet long, 
8ome thirty feet wide, sturdy and strong, 
To carry the elephant, likewise some hay, 
And room in the middle for the babies to play. 

Some ice it must carry to keep the bears cool, 
Some grapes to keep monkeys from acting the 

fool; 
The snakes and lizards, some crocodiles too. 
Big fishes and whales and bugs, not a few; 

'Tis said they came in by seven's and two's, 
In such a profusion, that it would beat the Jews 
Trying to count them, without falling behind, 
For he had to pick out just one of a kind; 

First, the large animals, he had to inspect, 
And then with a microscope, the tiny insect; 
You've no idea what a time Noah had, 
Sanitary conditions must have been very bad; 

So he shut the door, made the window tight, 
And the prospect inside was not very bright; 
All being secure, it began to look plain, 
That they might possibly have a big rain. 



NOAH'S FLOOD— A JLEGENB. 17 

So the Ark on the waves, rose high and soared; 
Sometimes it rains, but this time it poured — 
For the windows of heaven were left ajar, 
To say the roof was off, you'd not miss it far. 

So he sent out a pigeon, and then a tame dove. 
And let in some air, from a hole up above; 
Now, when the voyage was over, so far as I 

know; 
He landed on Arrat, that was covered with snow. 



Now this man Noah, was possessed of great 

wealth. 
Did nut take this cruise, alone for his health, 
And human like, when fortune comes in a chunk, 
He filled up on wine, and got gloriously drunk, 

Cursed his grandson, Canan, whose unfortunate 

birth, 
Had occured somewhere between heaven and 

earth; 
So. receiving the earth for cruising a year, 
He left us a legacy of slavery and fear. 



1 8 I.IBERTY, liOVE AND I.AW. 

His children left home, and from that very hour, 
Multiplied on the earth, in the plains Shinar; 
And 11 left alone, it stands eight to seven, 
They'd haye finished a highway up into heaven 

This enterprise failed, while yet it was young, 
If the story he true, because of their tongue; 
The unruly member, forgot, so to speak, 
Its native sancfit, spoke Latin and Greek, 

French. Hebrew and Dutch in such great pro- 
fusion, 

That it got the business into confusion; 

The man at the top might shout 'til He's hoarse, 

Was heard, but not headed, as a matter of 
course. 

Now, someone played them a shabby trick, 
Which rumcd the business of making mud brick, 
For they say for a fact, at this very hour, 
Some bats are yet found on the plains of Shinar. 




MOSES THE HISTORIAN. 19 

CHAPTER III. 

Moses, the historian, perhaps descended from 

Cain. 
After many short turns in a very long lane; 
He was born on the banks of the classical Nile, 
And hid in the bushes quite a good while. 

He must have heard the song of the thrushes, 
Before he embarked in a boat of bul-rushes, 
For. it is said, he looked up with a smile 
When the Princess pulled him out of the Nile. 

It is further remarked he loved Pharoe's daugh- 
ter. 

Better by far, than to float in the water. 

And she called her maid fearing the kings 

wrath. 
They carried him home along a cow path. 

It is said Moses grew, and thriving a pace, 
Was learned in the schools, of another race, 
That knew not Joseph, for they had been born 
More than four hundred years, since he cornered 
corn — 



20 lilBERTY, liOVE AND I^AW. 

Which reduced his people to a condition of 

slavery, 
What wonder that Moses was skilled in knavery, 
As is shown by a study of his busy life, 
How he left home, took two women to-wife? 

How he visited his brethren, saw two men strive, 
When he left in a hurry, only one was aliv^e; 
How he buried him deep in Egyptian sand. 
And told his two wives he'd killed his man; 

How he fled to Ethiopa, becoming a herder, 
He knew taking life, meant in law, murder; 
So, when danger threatened, he could easily 

flee 
To the mountains, leaving his flocks by the sea. 

What he is pleased to term a burning^ bush, 
Decided his course, put him in the push — 
By his migical tact, partly his learning. 
Partly the miracle of a bush burning. 

If the account be true, a magician's rod. 
In the hands of Aaron, by the help of God, 
Caused more misery, sorrow and woe, 
'Til Jehovah decided to let the slaves go. 



MOSES THE MAG1C1A:N^. 21 

Some of the tricks were not very nice, ' 
Like turning the dust into creeping lice; 
Some were universal, like Noah's great flood, 
Such as turning the Nile, to a river of blood; 

But the women were treated meaner thando^s, 
For they filled their houses and kitchens with 

frogs; 
It was a good day for frogs, but bad for the cook, 
If the things be true that are found in the Book. 

Sent murrain on cattle, hail and windstorms, 

too. 
Every mean thing they could, they proceeded 

to do. 
But the saddest day of which we have read. 
Was when, in every house, someone was dead; 

Every door-post in Israel, was splashed with 

blood, 
Excitement ran high, as in the days of the Hood; 
Few in numbers were they, so it is said, 
When they entered bondage, but now, Moses 

led — 



22 lilBERTY, I.OVE AND liAW. 

More than three million souls out of the land, 
Across the Red Sea, with an outstretched hand; 
That they multiplied fast, stands ten to eleven, 
That each mother in Israel bore fifty-seven 

Sons and daughters; you ask how I know? 
The account, if true, in the Book says so — 
Besides, if true, those voracious Priests 
xAte more than three hundred birds daily, apiece, 

Be that as it may, they begged, borrowed, or 

stole 
From their taskmasters, all their jewels and 



gold, 



Leaving Egypt, (her first-born wrapped in a 

s'iioud) 
Following Moses, the meek, and a pillow of 

cloud. 

To the mountains of Sinai, which historians 

say. 
Sent up clouds of smoke and steam by day; 
And Moses' pillow of fire by night, 
Was the volcano's torch, a lurid light. 



MOSES THE ElBERATOK. 23 

Gleaming ever, o'er the wilderness of sin, 
Safe enough as a retreat, once you are in; 
A desert which compared to Saharah, quite well, 
No wonder the children of Israel rebell — 

For Moses knew its topography w^ell, 
When by its tides he could easily tell 
The rocks would be barren, of its high water. 
Permit his passage and save a great slaughter — 

Oi innocent, ignorant serfs, for we know 
Where superstition leads the ignorant go; 
The less mankind know, the more they believe. 
And with greater ease can themselves deceive. 

That Pharo in the sea was not overthrown. 
Is sufficiently proven, since he died on his 

throne; 
Was, as they say, changed to a mummy, 
Besides this king was by no means a dummy, 

And knew as well, perhaps, as Moses did, 
(For such things were not from Egyptians hid) 
When the tides are out, or in, ebb or flow. 
The effect as well when the east winds blow. 



24 lilBERTY, I^OVE AXD XiAW. 

Truth is, he was not overthrown, just the same, 
That he was not, Moses is not, «ir, to blame; 
If aaxiuus to know where he still holds a place, 
in the museum at Gizeh you may still see his 
face ; 

For earth was not shocked, nor did planets 
shake, 

When Moses, the meek, made his mighty mis- 
take; 

For this trusting people, as the sequel will show, 

Were led into ahiind where nothing would grow. 

His father-in-law, Jethrop, not deeming him 

wise, 
Offered his service, and to be to him, eyes; 
For, had they not both passed that way before, 
And why need Jehovah help, the way to ex- 

j)lorc? 

Here they spent forty years, a wandering life 

Of misery, hunger and internal strife, 

Instead of a land flowing with milk and with 

honey, 
They went to their graves without home or 

money; 



THE MEEK MAN'S BLRIAE. 25 

But two of this wonderful people survive, 
Pass oyer the Jordon where peaceful tribes 

thrive; 
Of the army of this mighty host, the rest 
Were born in the desert or the wilderness. 

Moses says of himself, he was meekest of men, 
Yet the saddest mistake of his life, was when 
He smote the rock with his serpentine rod, 
Then and there enkindling the wrath of his God, 

Who shortened his days, took from him his 

health. 
And left him to die and bury himself. 
Which thing he meekly proceeded to do, 
And as meekly wrote up his epitaph too — 

Told all the great things that Moses had done, 
And if he had sinned it was only in fun. 
In short gave a full account of his life. 
But failed to say where he buried his wife. 

That he loved his dark wife, we merely infer 
From the fact that he laid not his mistakes on 

her. 
And perhaps her existence was only just brief. 
And he was too busy to indulge in his orrief. 



26 lilBBRTY, liOVE AND I^AW. 

Some things Moses did that were very wrong; 
At one time he left the children so long, 
That they ceased to mourn him, began to chaff, 
Melted his gold and made them a calf; 

This they did at the time he left them alone, 
To write Ten Commandments on tables of stone; 
To break one of them people would learn, 
Of a country wherein they say sinners burn. 

Anon, he heard a great noise, saw a red calf, 
He looseded his sword, turned loose his wrath, 
Forgetting his precepts, just what he did then, 
Was to kick over the table, and broke nine or 
ten 

Of his laws; being not a mild-tempered teacher, 
But rather astern, ill-natured preacher; 
Gird on your swords and slay each other, 
Every man kill his neighbor, or brother. 

They obeyed, and at the end of the day, 
Twenty and two thousand children lay 
Stark and mangled on the bleak plain, 
And this meek man, was Moses again. 



REFORMING THE JEWS. 27 



Most things Moses did he charged to his God, 
Truth is, he did it himself with his rod; 
Most things 'tis plain he already knew, 
Some things are as plainly entirely untrue. 

Go straight through the record as a bird flies, 
Select grains of truth from monumental-a-hem. 
Of solid facts you'll find only a few; 
Now. Jehovdh begins reforming the Jew 



He picked out Abram and his nephew, Lot, 
The latter mov^ed out, when his home got hot, 
At what his daughter's did, decency'd revolt. 
And his wife you'll remember was turned into 
salt; 



Made his servants and son, carry wood up the 

track. 
While he whet the knife that hung at his back, 
And hewed his way through thistles and thorns, 
'Til he found an old ram, caught by his horns. 



28 T^IBERTY, LOVE AND X.AW. 

Which he proceed to capture, thea proceeded 

to slay, 
And roasted and ate him that very same day; 
Returning next day he told his good wife. 
That a sheep in the hushes had saved her son's 

life. 

They say he was honest, faithful and true; 
I think him a heathen and leave it with you; 
One women and child he sent off to die, 
And angels 'tis said heard the baby cry. 

He engaged in a fight for his nephew, Lot. 
And if the story is true made things rather hot 
Against the four Kings, he held a straight flush. 
And drove off their things, to his home in the 
brush. 

He fooled the King of Egypt with his fair wife. 
By which the said King came near loosing his 

life; 
Deceived the King of Palestine the very same 

way, 
While in his country he was forced to stay. 



ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. 29 



He was many things beside a patriarch, too, 
And did many things that you wouldn't do; 
He also was rich, had of cattle not a few, 
And was the ancestor, of the unspeakable Jew. 



Now, what think you. of a husband and father, 
Thus treating his folks because they're a bother? 
Yet this is the man to whom the promise is 

given; 
In whose bosom you'll rest, when you enter 
heaven. 



His wife bore him Isaac, to his very great joy. 
And this caused trouble with Hagar and boy; 
But he grew up, as his biographers tell, 
And met his fate down at Jacob's old well; 



So Isaac was married, his wife bore him twins. 
And then some trouble, in Israel begins; 
For Jacob the father, of the unspeakable Jew, 
Greater sinner than he, there are only a few. 



so IjIBERTY, IjOVE and IjAW. 

Robbed Esaw, of his birth-right; the next thing 

he did. 
Was to sit on a stone, by a well with a lid. 
And kiss Miss Laban when she came to draw 

water. 
As his father Isaac did, Betheuls fair daughter. 

After serving seven years, for this ladies hand. 
Being the blindest, or drunkest, fool in the land, 
He found, instead of to a beauty, that he was 

tied. 
For better or for worse, to an ugly, sore-eyed. 

Sour old maid. No sooner did he discover the 

trick, 
Than he wondered how Laban had played it 

' ; so slick; 
He made a new contract, shed some bitter 

tears, 
And served yet seven other long years; 

The while he played Laban some rather smart 

tricks. 
By ringing; and striping some green willow 

sticks, 
And by natural selection, of which you have 

read. 
Stole Laban's fine stock, almost every head; 



ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. 31 

Drove off the entire herd, between two days, 
Lays his head on a stone and there dreams and 

prays; 
He a wise, wealthy man — if Laban is sadder; 
In his vision, sees ano^els, climbinor a ladder. 

Gets awav with his l)ooty, to his great joy, 
Next gets into trouble, with King Hamor's boy. 
Circumcised everv male, as was the custom of 

yore. 
And puts them to death, while yet they are sore; 

And his troubles multiplied as he grew old — 
His eldest son into Egypt was sold 
By his brethren, who sent home his coat. 
Dipped in the blood, perhaps of a goat; 

But the worst luck, since the day he was born. 
Came at the time they run short of corn, 
Moved down into Egypt, some seventy souls. 
And were put by Joseph, on the pention rolls. 

The Egyptian taskmasters learned them a trick, 
From pentioners. to a job of making clay brick; 
As to the rest of the story, low and behold! 
Has it not plain enough, by Moses been told?, 



32 XIBERTY, IjOVE AISD I. AW. 

So from Jacob to Joshua is no great leap. 
Him as held human life so wonderful cheap — 
Who told sun and moon to stop and stand still, 
While he slew his enemies, at the foot of the 
hill; 

When he pitched into Ai, so it is sard. 
He chased them all day, he being ahead; 
Where was Jehovah? Why quit him so cold. 
Because of a garment and a wedge of gold? 

A host of his warriors lay stark and dead, 
Their General in sac-cloth, with dirt on his head. 
Finding the gold and the garment in Achans 

tent, 
He gave him not a moment in which to repent; 

Packed his family, his stock, his goods in a heap. 
He stoned and burned them, and did the thing 

cheap; 
Being anxious to take Ai, more people to slay, 
He took it and slew them all the next day. 

The bloodiest General that ever was born. 
And the biggest blower on a ram's horn. 
When the children of Jerico lay stark and cold, 
Some Israelite chieftain stole a wedge of gold; 



JOSEPH'S CORN DEAl^. 33 



When this petty crime, to him was made plain, 
All his animals, folks, and himself were then 

slain; 
It is said he all their borders laid waste, 
And to the slau'^hter ever made haste — 

'Til into captivity he landed ihe Jew, 
And Joshua's mission, thus ended too. 
After that many Kings did over Israel reign, 
Before they recovered their freedom again. 

Now, Joseph, like Jacob, was a favorite boy, 
And to his father was a source of great joy; 
Being, as well, the son of his mother, 
Was always in trouble, with someone or other. 

Besides loosmg his coat, being cast in a pit. 
He was held a prisoner quite a good bit. 
His dreaming dreams, came near ending his life, 
And he got into trouble, with Potipher's wife. 

Again loosing his coat, likewise his coat-tail. 
And this time sure thing he got into jail; 
Now the King had a dream after two years. 
About some fat cattle, and some lean steers; 



34 lilBERTY, I.OVE AISD liAW. 

So the luckiest thing happened, since Joseph 

was born; 
He. also, dreamed something, about some big 

corn ; 
The thm corn and steers, were to feed on the fat. 
So he advised Pharaoh to simply stand pat — 

To hold all the corn, grown in seven years, 
That the famine sore, would cause biittitears. 
Now, Pharaoh was pleased with this doleful tale, 
Swung open the door, turned him out of jail. 

So the famine came on. as Joseph foretold, 
And the graineries of Egypt were coined into 

gold. 
For the farriine was sore, it is said, in the land. 
And Joseph ruled Egypt with a Monarch's 

hand. , 

The people were starving, in houses and caves; 
So Joseph swapped corn, and made of them 

slaves. 
At the end of the famine, after seven years. 
This Joseph, of Egypt, held the world by the 

ears; 



GIDEON, JEPHTHA AIS^D LAWSON. 35 

This, perhaps, was wise, perhaps very bright, 
But the question now is. was the thing right? 
It would hardly be right to call it knavery, 
Yet it reduced mankind to abject slavery. 

We don't blame Jehovah, now that keep in 

mind. 
Could hardly believe he would act so unkind; 
To starve animals to death, he ought not choose, 
Leavin^j^ out of the question his children, the 

Jews. 

Thus the world was fed, and proceeded to float, 
(Perhaps 'twas better than loosing his coat) 
But his biggest deal, since the day he was born / 
Was when in Egypt he cornered corn. 




36 lilBERTY, 1.0 VE ANT> LAW. 

CHAPTER IV. 

Thus, did Gideon the bold, lead a forlorn hope; 
Against the Midianites. this warrior did cope; 
Only left-handed warriors who lay like a log, 
Flat on the ground, and drank like a dog; 

By fouling the pitcher, and making a noise, 
They scored nine to nothing against the Midian 

bovs; 
Their left-handed throwers, their opponents 

fanned. 
And are called to this day, bold Gideon's band. 

Next. Jephtha. the cruel, held a short reign, 
A broken link in a very long chain; 
A superstitious bigot, he vowed a rash vow. 
If the Lord would aid him, no matter how — 

He'd sacrifice the one, who should greet his 

return; 
His daughter, the victim, of course had to burn; 
As the smoke toward heaven did gracefully 

curl. 
Nought but ashes remained of his beautiful 

girl. 



SAMSON TAKES A WIFE. rid 

If Gideon's band, like dogs drank their water, 

This King was meaner, than a dog to his 
daughter. 

Who might, perhaps, to some Prince have been 
wed; 

The old man himself, should have burned in- 
stead. 

Next comes mighty 8amson, his hair being 
long. 

(You're asked to believe 'twas that made him 
strong,) 

Who used on his enemies the greatest deception, 

Was a child. I believe, by immalculate con- 
ception. 

He went among the Philistines, to take him a 

wife, 
And came within an inch, of loosing his life; 
He lost his first bet, the yery first pass, 
And killed thirty men, with the jaw of an ass. 

They'd have failed on his riddle, so Samson 

allowed. 
If with his heifer they never had plowed; 
He slew a lion, tore up a she-bear. 
All on account of the strength in his hair. 



37 I.IBERTY, LOVE AISD LAW. 

Believe it or not. he was a mischevious kid, 
Juds^ing alone from mean things he did; 
Cautrht three hundred foxe>, or someone's a — , 
x\nd tied tail to tail and set them afire; 

The most fun he had since the day he was horn, 
Was to see them sprint through his enemies 

corn; 
You can't tell a digger one, Sir, if \ ou iry; 
Some stories wont wash this one won't dry. 

Maybe the Phihstmes wcrn't just awful mad. 
When this mighty warrior burned up all they 

had; 
But Delilah enticed him, in the vain hope 
Of subduing her giant with a strong, new rope, 

Which he broke in twain the very first pass, 
And slew a thousand men, with the jaw of an 

ass; 
As on his wife's lap his tired head laid. 
She put him to sleep, and then him betrayed; 



COURTSHIP IX A BARN. 88 

lie avvo'-^u l)ald-headed. found out at length. 
That his hair was departed, likewise his strength; 
He carried no more gates up Gaza's steep hill, 
Harnessed up like a horse, to grind in a mill. 

Even then his captors wouldn't let him alone. 
So he lifted the pillars, kicked out the stone, 
And killed more people, at death, than in life, 
Making a widow of Delilah, his Philsitine wife. 

Don't you try to beat Samson, you need not 
aspire 

To do a!? he did. nor pose as a ; now. 

This Samson affair, beat the heroes of Greece, 
But since he is gone, let him rest in peace. 

And, since our desire is to tell you the truth, 
A few words will suffice for the heroine, Ruth, 
Who gleaned in the fields of Boaz 'tis said, 
The boys binding sheaves, dropped some on the 
dead. 

Which Ruth gathered up; now, if more you'd 

learn, 
Read a story of courtship and love in a barn; 
There is no guarantee that this story is true, 
Whether Boaz did right I leave it to you. 



39 I.IBERTY, I.OVE A:NT> LAW. 

The account further states that they were both 

wed; 
A son was soon born, whom they called Obed. 
And Obed, the father of Jesse, you see, 
Supphed a lost branch of the old family tree. 

In passing, let us not ior^tt the man Job. 
A rich Gentile of Uz. who wore a fine robe; 
Who knew scarcely enough, to stay out of the 

wet. 
About whom, Satan and Jehovah made a great 

bet. 

On the patience of this Gentile; a Nomad chief 
And who barely escaped by the skin of his teeth, 
E'en when Satan held him secure in his toils. 
He patiently stood pat, in spite of his boils. 

Lost all he had, so we are told. 

But recovered it back w^hen he got old; 

Children, wealth, honor and such things like 

that; 
We are let to believe that he even sfot fat. 



DAVID THE KING. 41 

Now David, a man after God's own heart, 
Like Jesse, his father, got a good start 
Herding sheep; but it seems hardly fair, 
That a mere lad should kill, a wolf and a bear; 

Rather small, indeed, to do such a thing, 
As to slay a giant with a stone in a sling — 
Grasp his own sword, and cut off his head, 
And stand on his corpse, until he was dead. 

Many more things did David, before he was 

King; 
When tired of slaying, he'd whistle and sing. 
Wrote some bad things, some serene, mild and 

calm, 
If you don't believe it, read the hundred-ninth 

Psalm. 

He left an example, a poor guide for our lives, 
One thin^ dead certain he had too many wives; 
Stole Uriah, the Hittite's wife, playing it fine, 
Getting General Joab, to place him in line, 

Where the battle was hottest, so it is said. 
When Israel was numbered. Uriah was dead; 
Of a worse crime than this no poet has sung. 
Even over in 8pain such a man would be hung. 



42 L.IBERTY, liOVE ANT> I^AW. 

Yet, David's punishment was divinely mild, 
He married the woman, the Lord took the child; 
From which union, perhaps, King Solomon 

was born, 
The smartest and richest, since Joseph cornered 

corn. 

King David seemed content with but seven 

wives, 
While his son made miserable seven hundred 

lives, 
Besides of concubines, in numbers not a few; 
King David supported some concubmes too. 

His mistake in figures, laying jokes to one side, 
Made it so unhealthy, that seventy thousand 

died. 
Between DaviJ and Absalom, dissensions were 

sown, 
Causing the greatest slaughter that ever was 

known; 

For Absalom 'tis said was tall, handsome and 

fair. 
And prided himself on his fine head of hair; 
Riding a mule, full tilt, against a stiff breeze, 
It, somehow, caught fast in the limbs of the 

trees; 



DAVID THE KING. 48 

When Joab, the leader of King Da\^id's hosts, 
Found him and left him, he'd gave up the ghost. 
That Jehovah permitted those crimes of old, 
Was because of their hearts being hard, we 
are told; 

That they did as they must, no matter how, 
If Jehovah had known better, we willingly 

allow, 
The songs of Solomon would have remained 

unsung, 
And the Israelites would have either died 

young — 

Or have learned more from experience and 

reason, 
If left to themselves for a brief season, 
Than ever they knew; take Ancient history 

through. 
No nation so wonderfully behind as the Jew. 




44 lilBERTY, LOVE AN1> LAW. 



CHAPTER V. 

Now, the people of Nineveh the Lord did 

annoy, 
And so he concluded the place he'd destroy; 
Sent Jonah to preach it, but Jonah set sail. 
And got into trouble, perhaps, with a whale; 

Was cast overboard — as the water he struck, 
A big fish swallowed him — just for luck; 
Being bad and tough, he wouldn't digest. 
And mister fish then was greatly distressed. 

To find he'd swallowed a preacher; 'tis true 
He'd bit off", this time, more than he could 

chew; 
Cruising around three days, sick sorry and 

sore. 
This fish heaved Jonah, high and dry on the 

shore. 

So he picked himself up, tired out and spent. 
And went the fools errand on which he'd been 

sent. 
Up and down the streets of Nineveh he raved, 
'Til the Lord repented and the city was saved. 



JOI^AH'S T.UCK. 45 

Instead of this luck making Jonah feel glad, 
At first he felt sorry and then he got mad; 
To be caught in a lie was a bitter pill, 
So he sat himself down on the side of a hill — 

And there in the broiling sun he did try 
To roast his corpse, and then and there die; 
But when the shaddows grew short, likewise 

his board, 
He crawled under the shide. of a tall green 

gourd, 

Which a cut-worm on its roots, its teeth did 

try. 
Then Jonah got furious and wanted to die; 
Now. I often wonder if this story^ be true, 
And Jonah was captain, mate._ pilot and crew. 

What he used for a rudder, for sail or gib. 
Or if he steered him by using a rib; 
I wouldn't be Jonah for money or fun, 
But that's about all, that this Jonah done. 

Now David. King of Israel, grew feeble and old, 
His hands and feet and body grew cold; 
Of the KintJ: of terror, beinir sore afraid, 
And the doctors as well, they sent for a maid; 



46 I^IBERTY, liOVK AXD LAW. 

But all of this gugcrling, bringing no heat, 
Finding no way the grim monster to heat, 
He was gathered to his fathers, so it is said, 
This mighty warrior, in Israel, was dead. 

And Solomon began a temple to build, 

His houses, with women and wine, were filled; 

Now, none of the duties of life, this King 

shirked, 
While he enjoyed fun, the other boys worked. 

He wrote up some precepts, likewise a song; 
To read what is useful won't take very long; 
With reveling and pleasure, filled the days of 

his life, 
And if things got dull, took some lady to wife. 

P'or wisdom and learning assumes all the merit, 
When old, he sees only vexation of spirit; 
After that, Israel had some very good Kings, 
Who on occasion did some very bad things — 

Murdered innocent women and children we're 

told. 
While others into abject slavery were sold; 
Some, like Saul, took his own useless life, 
Others worried and vexed some other man's 
• wife. 



THE REIGX OF PROPHETS. 47 



CHAPTER Vr. 

In time. I believer, some prophets arose, 
Who tried, on the people, for a time, to impose; 
Some things they said turned out to be true; 
Whatever they did, will never hurt you. 

Somethings they, themselv^es, made very plain, 
At one time Elijah, prophecied no rain, 
For fortv long days, perhaps a little bif longer. 
And would have stood pat. if he'd been stronger; 

But the people caused him to beat a retreat, 
And ravens fed him on bread and on meat; 
Just where they got it no mortal can tell, 
They never were known to keep a hotel. 

So down by^ brook Clierith, 'tis said, he did 

hide. 
Took up his abode and there did reside, 
Had w^ater a plenty, and plenty of feed, 
Sunshine and air, as he then had need. 



48 IjIBERTY, I.OVE AINO^ IjAW. 

But finally the Lord dried up his brook, 
Discharged the ravens, likewise the cook; 
So he called on a widow, down by the way, 
Took up his abode, and with her did stay. 

Imagine how badly it made her then feel, 
When she thought of her oil as Well as her riieal. 
But she feared the preacher, and made him a 

cake. 
And as it turned out. she made no mistake; 

So she baked her cakes, and gave him a piece, 
And saw her meal in the barrel increase; 
Baked and fried them, and some she did boil, 
And never was short on the article oil. 

That this thing must last, was to him plain. 
Until the Lord sent them a copious rain; 
Now, Elijah burned up some water and wood. 
And the rain came down as soon as it could. 

But he got into trouble, with the prophets of 

Baal, 
For the Lord sent lightning, thunder and hail, 
Made fun of his prophets, said they were cheap, 
And jokingly remarked that they were asleep. 



ELltSllA^S OX EX AND liEARH. ID 

So Elijah got mad, into a rage he iievv. 
And all of the prophets of Baal he slew; 
Ai^ain he was searred, for his life he did liee, 
Took up his abode under a Juniper tree. 

Being all broke up, and almost dead, 
Mc was then by angels cared for and fed; 
And because the people would not behave, 
He went to iVIt. Horeb, and hid in a cave. 

That the I^ord was angry, was to him plain, 
So he sent a cyclone, more thunder and rain; 
Being tired of hiding, 'twas no longer a joke; 
He hunted up Elisha to carry his cloak. 

Now, Elisha was plowing, so it is said, 

With twelve yoke of oxen, (jusc twenty-four 

head;) 
It must have been newground.no matter now, 
it took that many steers to pull his old plow. 

That it was hard work, and no funny joke, 
To plow and carry Elijah's old cloak; 
He was hot and spunky, for, it is said, 
When he removed his hai, he exposed a bald 
head. 



50 ILIBERTY, I.OVE AXD LAW. 

But letting that pass, it's no matter how, 
He couldn't wear a cloak, and follow a plow; 
Being weary aud warm, in no humor for sass, 
He un-yoked his oxen and turned ihem on 



Elijah had proven false prophets no good. 
They couldn't set fire to a dry stick of wood; 
While the true God, away up on his throne, 
Sent fire that would burn even water and stone. 

In passing the streets of Bethel, 'tis said, 
Elisha took off his hat and exposed a bald head, 
Some children now laughed, because of his few 

hairs, 
Three dozen and a half, were slain by she-bears. 




ElilSHA'S GOOD LUCK. 51 



CIIAPTKR VII. 

Now, among the things this prophet did. 
Was to help a woman raise a kid; 
Which thing she did to her great joy— 
This kid, at least, was her own hoy. 

Who, some years after he was born. 
When in the field a gathering corn, 
He felt some pain about his head, 
And in twelve hours, this boy was dead; 

But Elisha brought him back fo life, 

Which greatly pleased his weeping — mother. 

He healed the sick, so it is said. 

And from the previous raised the dead. 

Having left Elijah, minus hat or coat, 
On Jordan's stormy banks to float; 
He might get weary, so 'twould seem, 
A waiting for his firev team; 

To drive such steeds. I'd not aspire. 
Up the milky-way, in a chariot of lire; 
In this crude way, he death did beat, 
The cruel monster, thus doth cheat. 



52 T^IBERTY, I.OVE AI^D J^AW. 

They may, up yonder, need some lire, 
But he'll find out, as he uets higher, 
And miay, perhaps, then hope and pray, 
That he'd went up some other way. 

F^rofit in preaching, not being good, 
Elisha took a job of cutting some wood; 
On the banks of the Jordan, tim;^er was tall, 
In cutting it down, he just let it fall. 

Hard wi)rk and poor pay. doth his patience tax, 
For somehow or othci', he lost an old ax; 
Bein<r unable to swim and havinc: no boat. 
The trick, it would seem, was to get it to float. 

He tied up some twigs, on the water to drop, 
The ax then did swim, and come to the top; 
The fun of the thing, caused his men to shout, 
While he waded in, and fished the ax out. 

I have had some luck in catching big fish, 
Have poked the old back-log, and made a wish^ 
That tlie the sparks were dollars in my old hat, 
But never did have such fine luck as that. 



EIilSlIA'8 3I1RACI^ES AXD DJj:AT11. 53 

He cured Naaman, the leper, without charge 

or pay, 
Didn't cost him a cent, and sent him away, 
' Twas a generous act, both kind and clever. 
But he cursed his servant, forever and ever. 

So Gehaza was a leper from the word go, 
And his children, also, turned whiter than snow; 
He did many things, so it is said, 
And wasn't forgotten as soon as he was dead; 

For after he died, and was turned into dust, 
This is hard to beheve, but believe it you must, 
Being in a hurry, and crowded for room, 
Thev cast a dead soldier, into Elisha's old tomb; 

Who, no sooner than buried arose from the 

dead. 
And that's about all. that about it, is said; 
What this man did when he came l)ack to life. 
And what a surprise it was to his wife. 

The record sayeth not; did he die again? 

No one knoweth, or cared to explain; 

If he'd made a mistake he could now make 

amends, 
But the record is silent and the story thus ends. 



54 IjIBERTY, liOVE AISTD I. AW. 



So the Lord ruled the prophet, the priest and 

the King, 
And by them was charged, with every mean 

thing; 
Mano^led women and children, because it was 

cheaper. 
Than to hold thsm prisoners; made King Joth- 

am a leper. 

If Jehovah had known more, they'd have done 

better, 
He forged the chain, as well as the fetter; 
No nation so badly ruled, as the Jew, 
The Egyptians had forgotten more than they 

knew. 

The heathen Chinee, who worshipped the sun. 
Was making gun-powder, likewise the gun, 
While the barbarous Indian, was figuring out, 
By decimal fractions, something near about 

The size, dimensions, and density of earth. 
Their science and skill, soon to give birth, 
To higher conceptions, of civilized learning. 
While the fires on Israel's alters were burningr. 



A WARXIXG. 55 

Children being devoured, because of a joke, 
On a bald-headed prophet, who wore an old 

cloak, 
That a few days before, had belonged to another, 
But had fallen on him, somehow or other. 

Ljt me warn you right here, never to laugh. 
At a short-haired preacher, or a long-haired calf ; 
Dear Sir, from such merriment, keep entirely 

free — 
If you must smile, first climb up a tree. 

Now. when most of those old prophets had died, 
Who on Jehovah, had always relied. 
He'd sometimes change the order of things, 
And let the people choose for themselves Kings, 

To rule, and to reign, through blood and through 

tears^ 
At one lime they warred more than eleven years, 
Lost their great temple, their holy city burned, 
And into captivicy th:;ir triumph is turned. 




56 I.IBERTY, I.OVE A]ST> LAW 



CHAPTER VIII. 

If true or false, I do not know, 
Whether Shadrach, Masach and Ahednego, 
Were fattened up, on meat and wine, 
Til they were slick, and plump, .and fine, 

At a oreat feast, so I am told, 
Those boys bowed not, to gods of gold; 
For coin, those boys did not aspire, 
They tried to burn them up with fire. 

Nothing on earth, could at all compare, 
With such a fire— 'twould not singe hair; 
No smell of heat their garments bore. 
The King was scared, and sick and sore. 

The fact that they should stand such heal,' 

The King of Babylon did beat, 

And before this King did now retire. 

He raised those boys, just one notch higher. 

Where those boys went, this book don't tell, 

They would be useful dowin in ; 

Now, 1 don't know, but let that pass — 
He must have turned them out to grass. 



THE FALL. OF BABYL,ON. 57 

Now, this King dreamed, some awful dreams, 
After firing those three boys, it seems; 
One, about a tree, of such great size, 
Its top did reach beyond the skies; — 

Its branches were so wondrous wide, 
You could not see, from side to side; 
Great herds of cattle flocks of sheep, 
Did night and day, in its shade sleep. 

' Twas a retreat for birds and fouls. 
And harbored likewise, beasts and owls; 
Someone must cut this big tree down. 
Its shade destroys too much good ground. 

When Daniel told this dream at last. 
This self-same King was sent to grass. 
And there he roamed the live-long day, 
Chewing corn-stalks, dry grass and hay; 
And finally, when this King was dead, 
His son, Belshazzer, reigned instead; 

Who, as soon as King, proclaimed a feast. 
The people came from west and east — 
Had wine and meat, and that's not all. 
Someone wrote something on the wall; 



58 I.IBERTY, I.OVE ANT) LAW. 

And, when he got a right good chance, 
He gave them all a song and dance;r , j 
Being young and handsome,: rather tall,: 
He saw someone's hand, upon the wall— 

His countenance changed; with fear dtd fill; 
He quaked and 'shook, he had a chiH; ' " 
He was scared to death, h6 was indeed,' 
For no one c6uld this writing read; '' ' 

Again for Daniel, this King sent; 
No time was given to repent, ., , , 

And ere thqmorning sky was red, 
This King of Babylon was dead. 

Some law they claimed, that sdmeone made. 
This Danielit seems, had disobeyed, 
And was cd§t into a lions den; 
How long he stayed, what he did, when - 

The lions roared, and gnashed their teeth, 
I do not knovy, but. to be brief. 
His solid frame, they did not crush, , 
Nor tear frorn it the quivering flesh; 



JEWISH SAGACITY. 59 



Like the three boys the King had fired, ; 
He let them 'gnash 'til they got tired; 
They knew not much, yet knew enough, 
To know a prophet, Sir,, is tough. 

King Darius turned; Sir Daniel out. 
And all the people raised a shout; 
But then he turned whole families in, 
And committed a far greater isin; 

The lions roared,: and broke their bones,; 
Before they reached the^paving stones; w ; 
I've noticed folks are better fed, i ■ u a, e^ 
When Prophets, Priest and Kings' are^deadi^ 1 



,»- 



This Book we read excites our feaTS, ^ i -f^'T 
Appeals to passion and our tears^ "^ '; ; {/^i 
Some p^itts revolting, cruel, mean^ r ; loll 

Some good some bad, some ate. obscene; ' 

About this time there must have reigned, 
A Persian King, :who history stainded, 
With base perfidy, to his fair Qiueenv 
As the record shows and willbe^seen. 



60 lilBERTY, I.0V:E AND LAW. 

He desired his Queen to display her charms, 
Her form and feet, her hands and arms; 
She curled her lip in disdain and said, 
"Twere better, perhaps, that I were dead, 

Than be the sport for men, and Kings. 
Besides I'm not stuck on such things; 
I prefer in chancery, a suit in court, 
To being humbled thus, to play the sport." 

To be King of Persia, was no mean joke. 
His word was law, as soon as spoke; 
He wrote a decree, likewise a divorce. 
And gave her an alimony, perhaps perforce; 

So when these girls came, in their good clothes, 
Hands and feet clean, likewise their nose, 
All of their charms, had by him been seen, 
He chose young Esther, as his fair Queen. 

The ceremony over, everything through, 
This great King of Persia had wedded a Jew; 
Blind, you may think, that's only a guess. 
How should he know a Persian, from a Jewess? 



THE RKI.EASE OF THE JEW. 61 

Suffice it to say. this beautiful Queen. 
Contrived many ways, her people to screen; 
The Jews, against the Persians, went out to 

fight, 
Slew seventy thousand, or more, before night. 

This story, by some, is called a beautiful thing, 
Full of perfidy, a Jewess, a King and a ring, 
Shows to what depths a Jew will stoop down, 
For the sake of jewels, a King and crown. 

Some decree of the King, someone did alter, 
And Haman and sons got their necks in the 

halter; 
They builded a gallows so strong and so high, 
That Haman's ambitions were hung up to dry; 

Some think this Mordecai, a luckv dog, 
He certainly was not, an ordinary hog; 
Not roaming around, alone for his health. 
He was aiding the Jews, and piling up wealth. 

The Prophets all dead, the Kii»gs stark and cold. 
Their treasury empty of both silver and gold. 
And having no place that they could call home. 
They submit serenely to Republican Rome; 



62 lilBERTY, liOVB AND JjAW, 



And since you've so patiently, followed me 

through 
The Pentateuch prophets, Priest, King and Jew, 
Until Jehovah determined to let his people go; 
Whether they'd done better, the sequel v^ill 

show. 

The prophets were mistaken, now, I'm afraid, 
The Jew is the man, when it comes to a trade; 
Instead of his being a vagabond on the earth, 
He is lucky indeed, being a Jew from birth. 

Who looks after the pennies, takes care of his 

health, 
Is proud of his birthright, also his wealth; 
Glad to exchange the land, of milk and of honey, 
For a pawn shop, as well as a place to make 

money. 

If it causes the Book, to be mostly untrue, 
It still is a fact, that we honor the Jew; 
Under the circumstances he's done quite well, 
One thing is true, he doesn't fear hell. 



THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 63 

Believe it or not— nevertheless it is true, 
The wealth of nations is held by the Jew; 
Where there's money to loan, take the world 

over, 
Though winter-winds blow, the Jew is in clover. 

Of the root of all evil, they are all very fond, 
They'd exchange hope of heaven, any day, for a 

bond; 
Believe it or not, if you try hard you can. 
The Jew, to a dot, is a gold standard man. 

Being kind and generous, noble and brave, 
He'll not forget interest, where there's paper 

to shave; 
They as a rule are well clothed and fed; 
In a trade, lookout for the hat on your head. 

They feed their own paupers, take care of their 

poor — 
Beat ihem out of a nickle, look out for a roar; 
We do as we must, they do as they can, 
Are honest and just, almbst to a man. 



64 LIBERTY, LOVE AISTD LAW. 

After crossing the desert of death and of crime, 
And lingering with the prophets for a brief 

time, 
Wondering, what on the face of the earth, 
Is all this misery and wailing worth? 

Where is the cocoa, that grows on the pal mi , 
Or the comfort in reading a verse or a Psalm; 
They rivet the chain, they forge the fetter, 
Without learning mankind, how to do better. 

It may be refreshing, as this way we pass, 
To consider the flower, the fruit and the grass, 
To think of the grandeur, the joy of lov^e, 
A product of nature, not sent from above; 

A generous impulse, thriUing animate being. 
Our souls from the dumb, inanimate, freeing; 
Yet. even with Solomon, we may linger too long, 
And detect the vulgar, in the beautiful song. 

In some ways Solomon may have been wise. 
Yet his youthful excess, caused him to despise, 
The natural and beautiful in riper years, 
Going down to his grave in sorrow and tears. 



THE BEGIlS'lS^IlNrG OF THE END. 65 

Isaiah starts bad, continues clear through, 
To worry, perplex, if not diso^ust you; 
Some prophecies vulgar, some of them coarse, 
Some are fulfilled, as a matter of course. 

That a virgin should conceive, and a child be 

born, 
Is not always, perhaps, a hope so forlorn, 
For Isaiah knew of a young Prophetess, 
And owns right up, that is, doth confess — 

That he went in unto her, and she did conceive, 
And no one to blame, as I do believe; 
So far as I know, there was no one to blame, 
A son was soon born, now pronounce his name, 

At the first glance, and I ^vill confess. 

That all of the fault, was with the young 

Prophetess; 
But so it transpired for what could he do, 
But fulfill his prophesy and make it come true. 

Such things are common, can always be found, 
Where prophets, preachers and priests abound; 
The rest of his guesses, were mostly untrue, 
So we proceed with the record and leave him 
with you. 



66 I.IBERTT, I.OVE AISD LAW. 



In lamentations. Jeremiah's time is spent. 
Except where he makes the Lord to repent; 
Of the (rood he had thought to do to mankind, 
And then again makes him, to changehis mind; 

Tells the Lord how he, his prophets decfdves. 
When his guesses fail, how his soui grieves, 
To think the people will laugh him to scorn. 
But seldom fails, when a childs to he born; 

Repeats over and over, the very same thing. 
The v^ery same battle, the very same King; 
Prills with rapine and crime, each chapter and 

verse 
Make the L^overnment of Jehovah, a consumate 

cuise. 

Thus staining the history of ancient times, 
With deceit, treachery, murder and crimes; 
Isaiah makes lions, like horses, eat hay. 
The wolf and the lamb together to lay. 

Those guesses, uf course, will all be fulfilled. 
When the waters again will all be spilled. 
And drown everything in sea and on land; 
The kinii'dom of heaven will then be at hand. 



THE BEGINXIXG OF THE END. 67 



The system of worlds melted with heat, 
And swords and spears into plow-shares be beat; 
Thus for acres and ages, did providence rule, 
Superstition, faith and fear were their only 
school. 

Not a ray of light left-the suns eternal quiver, 
From the bondage of obedience none todeliver; 
No time through summer, fall, winter or spring, 
To see the flowers bloom, or hear the birds 



Jehovah fought always with the conquering 

host, 
Destroyed his own temple at the command of 

the ghost; 
Fire, sword and famine were the weapons used. 
Every human instinct, outraged and abused. 

The record, if true, is nothing but bad — 
To believe it untrue, you're only too glad; 
Yet, Jehov^^h ceased long encmghfrom murder 

and spoils. 
To comfort and console, a prophet with boils, 



08 I.1BERTY, LOVE A]S1> EAW. 



And to convince him that from boils he should 

soon be free; 
He turns l)ackward the sun some fifteen degrees; 
Thus from Genesis to Malachi, or there about, 
The world would be better with the record left 

out. 

Why should He pronounce on His children a 

curse? 
Why should His government on earth be worse 
Than other governments that are merely man's? 
Why should he He fail in all of his plans? 

The reason is this, 'tis easy to tell. 

That man's ideal, his heaven and hell, 

Are but fancy pictures of his fertile brain — 

This view, then, makes the whole thing plain. 

That man preceded liooks. is perhaps a safe 

claim 
And ought, therefore, take most of the blame; 
No pfood beino: would write such a Book. 
Therefore to mere men, we must of course, look. 









1 '""",. Viii 




^ 




.'"""lllllllll, 







"Part Second. 



And now I've read the Old Book through, 
From the first man to the last Jew; — 
And would, I think, for half a cent, 
Tackle, as they say, The Testament. 

Some people think the Bible true. 
That bondage is good enough for you; 
So abjectly blind, they cannot see. 
That man by right ought to be free. 

They think, perhaps, what Adam did. 
Is binding on the unborn kid; 
Although, perhaps, a little thing, 
It makes us Subjects of a King. 



That man can't rule himself at all, 
Beca^use, they say, of Adam's fall; 
That this is but a vale of tears, 
That death should hut, increase out fears. 

If God made man, and made the world, 
And made the air that around it whirled. 
The earth to revolve around the sun, 
Made birds to fly and beasts to run — 

Made stars to shine, as distant suns 
Force to fire off. our long-range guns, 
To kill the Christian, Spanish hounds, 
And holds them all in certain bounds. 

How can we help, what we then do? 
Compellin<r me and forcing you; 
Made light to run at such great speed, 
For good and bad thitigs, made the seed; 

Made worlds beyond remotest bounds. 
Holds them in place prescribes their rounds. 
Made those great big, those little things. 
Some birds with. somiC without wings. 



Some monkcvs made, without a tail. 
Some monster fish like the great whale; 
Made microbes too. to prey on life, 
Made man, at first, without a wife. 

Made the pure air for us to breathe 
Made it so impure that we must leave, 
This mundane sphere, and go up higher, 
Or down below, and punch the fire. 

Now, I must sav, if this be so, 

I own right up, Sir, I don't know 

Whose fault it is, if fault at all. 

That good things are so scarce and small. 

If life must live, on life, Per-se? 
And death must come, to all that be, 
Sorrow and pain, our common lot, 
When we could live, as well as not. 

Free from all this, and live and die, 
Without a pang; pray tell me why, 
The good must suffer with the bad, 
And no one know when God is mad? 



If vexed he is. at what we do, 

And favors only just a few, 

Those favored few, mast now believe. 

Or say they do, and Him deceive. 

Yet 'tis a fact, that they'r not free, 
But suffer on, like you and me, 
And plod along, through weary years. 
Of sickness, sorrow, pain and tears. 

Having this advantage, so they claim, 
On someone else they put the blame; 
When they do wrong, commit a crime. 
They lay it all. on Father Time. 

Thus they conduct a bankrupt court. 
And are a prey to divine sport; 
I prefer, thank you, to be excused. 
My manhood is not, thus abused, 

By shifting all mistakes and blame. 
As they can do, or as they claim, 
On He who made them as they are; 
'Twould not be right, or even fair; 



We should. Sir, stand on solid rock, 
And when death comes, withstand the shock, 
We should not sin^ '*He payed it all" — 
It makes us seem so duced small. 

To think our sponsor payed our debt, 
I'll never sing that song, you bet; 
I'll toe the mark, Sir, when I can, 
And stand right up and be a man. 

If on Jehovah, I must look, 
I'll own right up, I've read a book; 
I'll not then try to him decieve. 
But frankly say- 'i don't believe, 

"That a good being wrote a Book, 
That would put to blush old Capt. Cook; 
Would make of woman, a merest toy, 
And tell me. Sir, to kill my boy. 

"Permit a man unlimited wives, 
To live in misery all their lives; 
Commend mankind as doing right. 
Butchering each other in open fight; 



"Kill babes that nurse at mother's breasts, 
Serve maidens worse! I do confess, 
That no good man, would write a book, 
For us to read, or at it look. 

"That commended slavery, white or black. 
To pay in lashes on their back, 
For labor done." Now, honor bright, 
A humane man knows that's not right. 

x\nd so I say. that no <^(>od God. 
Would forge a chain, or use the rod. 
To teach us what we ought to do. 
Unless He, Himself already knew. 

If wise. He knew, ju^t all the time, 
That punishment will not cure crime; 
That mercy, love and human kindness, 
Is much the best for moral blindness. 

We should employ, in any season, 
Experience, observation, and our reason; 
Do as we must, the bist we can, 
And lav our faults to us, on man. 



1 do believe, to draw it mild, 
A Book, Sir, that will shock a child. 
Should not be read, or taught to be, 
From faults and errors, pure and free. 

God never having wrote the Book, 
We must then, to our own selves look; 
For all the misery we then have had. 
Come straight from man, the good and bad. 




geneaTjOGY of the NAZAREIS^E. 77 



"[^art Second — NIeW T'e^texment. 

CHAPTER I. 

Some people think it very wrong. 
To say in poetry, verse or song, 
What really seems to him to be, 
The truth of the Man of Galilee. 

The story often told, and long, 
In pulpit, poetry, prose and song, 
Of His conception and His birth, 
Of God made man upon the earth. 

No matter how hard to believe, 
If believing, they can thus relieve 
Themselves of the consequence of crime, 
Beat Mother Nature. Father Time. 



78 lilBERTY, I.OVE AND L.AW. 

Out of debt they truly owe, 
Neglect to reap the things they sow; 
Take leave of sense, from reason part. 
Decide all questions from the heart, 

Than in reasons realm to yet remain, 
Their human nature, thus retain; 
They dare not let their reason sore. 
For fear they'll miss the other shore. 

If someone, now would tell the truth, 
And all men tell it from their youth, 
None ever try. man to deceive. 
None ever say to him believe, 

But say to him. Sir, you must know, 
For knowing, makes your free mind grow; 
Believing, then, will no one save. 
But do the right, and thus behave — 

Along the line of reason^ plan, 
In short, stand up and be a man! 
There's no effect without a cause. 
No miracle outside of nature's laws: 



HIS Crill^D I^IFE. 79 

But proof of this, there is no need. 
Since Christ came straight of David's seed, 
Whose father Joseph, wh^n quite young, 
Had from the seed of Jesse sprung; 

To kin-ship on his mother's side, 

Have historians ev^er tried, 

To show that she, in any way, 

Was of David's seed as they would say; 

But each of these, to m ^ke it plain. 
Have link by link, traced the long chain. 
Away back, down along the line, 
Although obscure, they draw^ it fine. 

His mother, Mary, so they sa\ . 
Did hope and fear, perhaps did pray; 
To the hills of Judah. she then went, 
And there some days, her time she spent. 

She feared, perhaps, for her young life, 
Preferring to become, someones dear wife; 
She knew she was in a close place, 
The Jewish code, she then must face; 



80 LilBERTY, L.O\nE AND t.AW. 

And if such things they did espy, 
The woman, then must surely die; 
Miracles are handy, now and then, 
Angles, therefore, this case attend. 

Now, Joseph was of ihe right race, 
And the right man, in the right place; 
If his gencology, then, is true. 
He was, in every sense, a Jew. 

No harm at all. that I can see. 
To thus preserve the family tree; 
To thus cut out a rolling stone, 
And seat a King on David's throne. 

They had a law, among the Jews, 
That made a Virgin, then to choose, 
Between fire, to consume her young life 
Or become some Jewish Rabies wife; 

Now Joseph had been wed before, 
And thought to try her luck once more; 
No one to blame, no one to thank, 
This prize, at least, contained no blank. 



HIS CHII.D T^IFP: AISTD BOYHOOD. 81 

For this generous deed, no one's to blame, 
The Jewish laws were always lame; 
In this wise way, those laws evade, 
And keep suspision in the shade, 

For prophecy must be fultilled. 
If the babes in Judah are all killed; 
And Herod. Sir. must do a thing, 
Unvvorihy of a beast or King. 

No matter, then, Sir, who's to blame, 
Thev just got married, all the same; 
And soon to them a child is born, 
Who was to them perhaps a thorn; 

For. when He was a little Kid, 

He done as other babies did; 

Layed on His back, kicked up His heels. 

When joy or pain. He sometimes feels. 

He may have cried, and maybe bawled, 
As on the ground, or floor, He crawled; 
Made some mud cakes, and maybe pies, 
And to make a doll perhaps He tries. 



82 LIBERTY, I.OVE AND I.AW. 

Helped His mother pick the peas, 
The old Tom-cat He loved to tease; 
For you cannot think of babies dear, 
Who did not home, in some way cheer, 

He may have played, like other boys, 
With hoops and tops and other toys; 
Perhaps down a steep hill he slid. 
And on a pony, may have rid. 

On Jordan's stormy banks he'd stand. 
Fish-worms and pole, and line in hand; 
Some little fish his mother fries. 
He tells some small, some smoothe white lies. 

One thing he did, when twelve years old. 
He disputed the doctor's word, I'm told, 
For which His mother Him did chide; 
Boy-like, he ran away, to hide. 

Like all smart boys, he must have shirked, 
For no one knew for whom He worked; 
He must have had, when very young, 
A brilliant mind and ready tongue — 



HIS CHILD T^IFE AIS^B BOYHOOD. 83 

To dispute with Doctors of the Law, 
When trotted home He sassed His ma- 
For which she must have cuffed His ears, 
So He stayed away, some eighteen years. 

That He learned some things now, you can tell, 
For the Jews called Him an I nil del; 
For His own relicreon he took His own mind. 
Toward all others. s[)oke somewhat unkind. 

He must have listened to the Thrush. 
And watched the ground-hog in the brush; 
He must have cHmbed the mountain high, 
And heard the lark sing in the sky. 

He might have carried wood or coal, 
At the game of football kicked the goal, 
For when a boy. I think 'tis true. 
He did as other big boys do. 

But, when He'd grown to riper years, 
His mother realized her fears; 
Being little more than twelve years old, 
He struck across the countrv bold — 



84 lilBERTY, LOVE AIS^D LAW. 

Whai for, or where He then did go, 
I cannot tell, I do not know; 
One thing is sure, the scriptures tell, 
That across the Indus, He did dwell. 

And roaming round, across the Seas, 
He joined a band of Essenes, 
Who, leading a wild, Nomadic life, 
Ignoring pleasure, home and wife. 

To them no children e'er were born, 
They led a life, the most forlorn; 
And to keep the sect, from dying out. 
They adopted those from roundabout. 

The males were celibates, so to speak, 
Parental instinct in them was weak; 
Whether foolish this, or whether wise. 
To marry, he did not advise. 

As up and down the earth He'd roam, 
He had no use, it seems for home, 
This dearest passion, in Him was dead; 
He had no place to lay His head. 



IITS PRTCCEPT AIS^D EXAMPLiE. 85 

A Jewish Prince, He claims, from birth, 
His kinofdom would subdue the earth; 
A weary life He led. and sad; 
What curious notions He then had, 

Of life with all its toil and care! 
He taught that we should only fear, 
A future life of endless pain-- 
Strive a lost paradise to regain. 

Suppose mankind should all, like He. 
From duty, home and labor llee. 
For to-morrow they should take no thought, 
And do for home and country naught — 

Go up and down, a doing good, 
I'd like to ask who'd saw the wood. 
Plow the land, and sow the grain, 
And feed a hungry world; 'tis plain- 

If no one would the babies raise, 
There'd soon Ue none to sing His praise; 
Of course the sparrows help to reap, 
And live like preachers, on their cheek; 



86 LIBERTY, liOVE AND LAW. 

They live, like them, on what we raise, 
And spend their time in song and praise; 
Too many sparrows are a pest, 
Like priest, and preacher, and the rest- 

Who on the toil of others live, 
And sing a song of give, oh give; 
True it is, the lillies, do not spin, 
To grub them up is not a sin; 

Consider them, Sir, and to your sorrow. 
You'll be cold and dead, perhaps tomorrow. 
Now, after he had been baptised. 
He does not seem at all surprised — 

To find Himself tempted of the devil. 
And discussed with him, all kinds of evil; 
Was even tempted, so 'tis said, 
To out of stone make him some bread. 

Although He knew him, from his birth. 
Was tempted of him to buy the earth; 
If they had then and there agreed, 
He might have held a quit claim deed — 



HIS FIRST MIRACI.E. 87 

To this whirling sphere, this Etherial Ball, 
That satan never owned at all, 
Could not control, a single rod- 
He knew this fact, if He was God. 

Being onl^ man, at the marriage feast, 
i\s was the custom then, down East, 
Where everything goes off just fine- 
If they have plenty, good, red wine. 

Now, if this miracle was ever true, 
He'd havf^ no trouble converting the Jew; 
For his sense of taste, was supremely fine, 
They'd worship the devil if he'd furnish the wine 

And if He was wise, I'm led to believe, 
That he'd have known that wine will deceive, 
Cause suffering, misery, sorrow and crime. 
Be a curse to humanity throughout all time. 

That myth, mystery and miracle go hand in hand. 
That rum. riot and Romanism, would curse the 

land. 
Feasis, faith and fraud, the worship of shrine. 
Would follow this l^acher and Maker of wine. 



88 I.IBERTY, I.OVE AND LAW. 

Think of a worse evil, Dear Sir, if you can. 
Nature ne'er layed a worse tribute on man, 
Or held him in bondage from the day of his 

youth. 
Til the hour of his death; to tell the plain truth. 

There was a shady side to this Reformer's life, 
Beside His treatment of home and of wife; 
It may be ideal for a boy to thus roam. 
Spend boyhood and youth away from his home^ 

He practiced and preached absolute non-resist- 
ance, 

Yet combatted the Jews, with earnest persist- 
ence. 

Vou must for His sake, forsake father and 
mother. 

And if smitten on one cheek, turn, then, the 
other. 

Being persecuted for His sake, you ought to 

feel glad; 
When applied to Him. He was angry and mad; 
Said love your enemies because it is meet, 
But commanded His enemies slain at His feet. 



BIVINE PHILOSOPHY. 89 

If a man take your coat, give him your cloak; 
Was it philosophy, or meant as a joke- 
To thus pay a premium on injustice and crime, 
Yet being contentious, most of the time. 

He taught that patience was a virtue, Per-se, 
Yet lost all of His at the barren fig tree; 
For this rash act there could be no reason, 
It could not bear figs out of fig season. 

No reason for calling a woman a dog, 

Or casting the devil into the hog. 

Forsake home and kindred, hate your own 

mother, 
Likewise your wife, sister, and brother; 

A selfish doctrine, that will, now, never do — 
I deny, and denounce it. and leave it with you; 
For, if our whole life, in debauchery be spent. 
All that's required, is to simply repent. 

Depend on the fates to provide a scant dinner. 
The chances all favor the consumate sinner; 
If this scheme, ever should turn out to be true, 
Heaven would l)e crowded with a damaged 
crew. 



90 lilBERTY, liOVE AND LAW. 

All the moral, and just, are sure to be burnt^d; 
The keys of the kino^dom. on them will be 

turned. 
That He said some good things is eternally true, 
But somehow He failed, in convincing the Jew, 

Who were on the ground and knew Him quite 

well; 
They of His miracles and words then could tell- 
More, perhaps, than all of the Gentile race, 
For they, as yet, had been given no place — 

In the scheme of redemption; for when 
The Man of Gallilee dwelt amon^: men, 
His mission was merely to redeem the Jew, 
Of which it would seem, that only a few — 

Unlearned fishermen, on his divinity belieyed, 
And they, it appears were badly deceived; 
For all his deciples, so it is said. 
Believed He'd return with a crown on His head. 

Set up a kingdom, on this beautiful earth, 
This, they believed, would be the new birth; 
But no matter now, what they believed, 
The fact yet remains, they were all deceived — 



A MISTAKElsr MTSSIO:Mr. 91 

For when their Leader died on the cr^-ss. 
Went back a fishing- to make up their loss; 
When now they heard He arose from the dead, 
They again lost their job. as well as their head. 

Again, in the hope of H\s early return, 
Some died on the cross, some they did burn; 
For, had He not said, "There be some standing 

hert^, 
Who shall not taste death 'til they ser me 

appear!" 

Attended by angels and power from above, 
To set up a kingdom of mercy and love. 
Thus a conflict has waged forthis mighty Prince, 
Has filled earth with contention, and war every 
since. 

The dungeon and faggot have played a sad part. 
In the conflict between the head and the heart; 
Instead of its bringing tidings of joy. 
The mettle when tried is mostly alloy. 

If of reformers He was the chief, 

He left us a message of eternal grief; 

Of the whole human race, most will l)e lost, 

As soon as the Jordan of Death is then crossed. 



92 T.TBF.RTY, T.OVT] AXD I.AW. 

Is there anythin": in it, the home-life to cheer? 
Fills the present v/ith dread, the future with fear; 
Better by far, men never were born. 
Th^n a future, based on a hope so forlorn. 

But this man of orrief, and mistaken fears. 
Demands our sympathy, as well as our tears; 
For a life of sorrow, acquainted with grief, 
Was thus soon ^ndcd <>n the cross -to be brief. 

As well as honest, candid and plain, 
Hg never arose, from the grav^e a^zain; 
Or if his desire was, to convince the Jews, 
And knowing the'd fail to believe the news. 

Of a second cK-ath he need have no fear, 
This being his chance to make mystery clear; 
lie need not leave it for Peter to tell, 
When He could have proven it llitnself, as 
well. 

He could easily have put all doubts to rest, 
By showing Himself, as a final test; 
He might have ascended from a public place. 
Surely going to heaven was not a disgrace. 



MYTH, MYSTERY, MIRACIiE. 98 

Why show Thomas His hands, side and feet, 
If fearing the Jews. His kinsmen, to meet? 
If the vale of the temple was really rent, 
The Jews would certainly know what was meant; 

Or, if the day-light was wiped out at noon, 
The people of earth would know very soon, 
Be convinced, converted, at least be surprised. 
And every Jew, perhaps, would have then been 
baptised. 

I am only sayinix if those things be true. 
For none were so easily scared, as the Jew — 
But the thing didn't happen; simply because. 
The account is too full of marvelous flaws. 

Anyone who to school, a few days had been, 
Would pronounce the story entirely too thin; 
For, if He stayed around some forty days, 
Meets His friends, only in secret by-ways. 

Why not meet His enemies face to face? 
To be raised from the dead, is not a disgrace. 
If His mission on eartli was to save mankind, 
He must have, when risen, left all else behind; 



94 I.IBERTY, I.OVK AND L.AW. 

In the grav^e, all His manhood. He must have 

left, 
He certainly, was then, of his courage bereft; 
Only a short time before, it seems. He was able, 
To clear the temple and upset the table, 

Drive them all out, at the end of the whip. 
And when they returned, give them the slip. 
He had come to earth, as they then said, to die, 
And could not escape, nor need He to try. 

When they parted His vesture, put thorns on 

His head. 
His divinity departed. His courage was dead; 
Of course, as a man. He had reason to fear. 
But as God, of their torture, He need have no 

care. 

Being a peculiar, many sided, versitile man, 
He dies when He must, and lives while He can; 
A hero at times, at times very mild. 
As strong as a lion, as weak as a child — 

Rushing onward, at times, like a mighty flood, 
Sometimes sweating great drops of blood; 
Of many characters. He plays many parts; 
Ignoring men's reason, He appeals to their 
hearts. 



WISDOM OR PIIII.OSOPITY, WHICH? 95 

Of course not a word did He ever write, 
Nor perhaps of its wonders did a great sight; 
There are numerous things He would not then 
do. 

And others, as well, are entirely untrue. 

He said very little in His own defence, 
As to l)eing divine, made little pretense. 
They've mixed it badly, select what you can, 
Laying most of the mischief, to the mild-man- 
nered man. 

"Consider the Lilly" was part of his Creed. 
They live by grace, and never by deed; 
x\t last, when the lengthening shadows came, 
He, on Himself, took all of the blame. 

His life work ended having then done His best. 
His biographers have since, done all of the rest; 
Believe, or be damned, was by Him never said, 
'Twas a codicile added after the testator was 
dead. 

By this doctrine the rich could never get 

through, 
The man of affairs, nor His kmsman, the Jew; 
No provision for women ever was made. 
All other relioreons He laid in the shade. 



96 I.IBERTY, liOVE AX^D liAW. 

"Believe, or be damned!" was about all they 

said, 
Save yourselves now, if you do without bread; 
Take no thought for tomorrow, of what you 

shall eat, 
For the fowls of the air their livinor doth beat. 

Neither take thought for what you must drink. 
In fact it is better, never to think; 
The less you think, and the less that you do, 
The easier saved, and the better for you. 

The less eating you do, the less clothes vou wear. 
The cheaper and better, the less wear and tear; 
If for one hundred years you adopt this plan, 
We would in less time, rid the screen earth of 
man; 

For if all like He, should no babies raise, 
There'd soon be few children to sing His praise, 
The earth soon be barren and empty, indeed, 
Having a plenty to eat and no one to feed. 

No use for the plow, the spade or the hoe. 
Things that are useful would soon cease to grow; 
If wise, He then knew that people were fools; 
Why didn't He suggest them some bettertools. 



DIVINE VS. MATERIAI^ SCIENCE. 97 

Why hang a plow fast, to an old cows horns, 
A woman to follow, through thistle and thorns? 
He should have suggested, the first half hour. 
That steam would he better for furnishing 
power. 

That such labor was hard for woman or maid, 
While men and boys were enjoying the shade; 
He saw women thrash grain, using the flail, 
And carts being drawn, by a poor cows tail; 

He knew right then, if anything at all. 
That this was by reason of our parents fall; 
Saw how the grain, with a pestle was ground. 
Long before the use of the mill stone was found. 

He might have improved their manner as well, 
For knowing all things, He could easily tell- 
That plenty of schools, and plenty of books. 
Would improve their morals, as well as their 
looks; 

That science could easier put diseases to rout, 
Than by His special way of casting devils out; 
That street-cars would beat a Jerusalem mule, 
And not wait for science to establish the school. 



98 LIBERTY, LOVE AND LAW. 



His triumphant entry into the Holy City, 
Provokes not your envy, but enlists your pity, 
For the rider, as well as the meek-eyed mule, 
The entire menagerie was fun for the fool. 

'Twould have been as easy, and better by far, 
To have then introduced the electric streetcar; 
Now, it was a good show, worth going to see, 
FOrZachius, the publican, climbed up a tree. 

Being a publican, they say, as well as a sinner, 
He invited the menagerie all down to dinner; 
They had something to drink, down there that 

day. 
At least that's what the Pharisies say. 

Twould have been better to establish a tele- 
phone line, 

Than to continue to turn water into inpure 
wine; 

A curse, the saloon; in which mankind revel. 

Why not leave a recipe to cast out the devil. 



COMMUNISM A^S. EVOLUTION. 99 

If He knew what we needed, what was for our 

use, 
Why heap on intelioence. all the abuse? 
Why make wealth and wisdom, almost acrime. 
Encourage idleness and poverty most of the 

time; 

So far as I see, His example won't do, 
And His precepts are bad, at least one in two; 
Knowing their government, was deplorably bad, 
Why advise them to keep what they already 
had? 

Did He not know, that mankind should be free, 
To live, love and learn under liberty's tree? 
Did He not know we should sow v. inter wheat, 
The old-fashioned famine of Jehovah to beat? 

That this kind of grain must be sown in the fall. 

Or we'll have little bread, if any at all; 

That we must gather out harvest the summer 

before, 
If we expect the grim wolf to keep from our 

door. 



loo i.ibt:rty, lott: axd i.aw. 

Did He know that with wire we could span this 

globe, 
And science would clothe thiswoiid with a robe; 
That poverty and rags, be left out in the cold. 
That knowledge is power, as well as pure gold. 

That the meek can never inherit the earth, 
That meekness is weakness from concept to 

birth; 
That the strong, the aggressive, always survive. 
And when they're around, you know they're 

alive; 

That if the poor should inherit high heaven. 
That they must first die, stands six to seven; 
Did He think that man. was made to be saved, 
No matter on earth how he had behaved? 

If, just before all his powers are spent, 

He believe on Him, as they say repent; 

For material comforts, you need take no 

thought, 
If winter winds blow, or summer is hot. 

Consider the lillies as they nod in the breeze, 
Consider them again, as all nature doth freeze; 
Beg, take and borrow, and when it is spent, 
Pay back, if you can, a certain per cent. 



COMMUNISM VS. EVOIiUTION. 101 

For was not then, the unjust steward com- 
mended. 
Because acting wisely, he was likewise defended; 
Perhaps it was christian, it may have been wise, 
For all rules of justice and right to despise, 

Yet a many a man has put his neck in the halter, 
By doing likewise, by becoming a defaulter; 
It was anarchy and ruin on a small scale. 
All members thus putting their goods to sale; 

Hold all things in common, all on a level, 
In this way they thought to outwit the devil; 
And in order to enforce it, that is make it plain, 
A man and his wife was by the Lord slain. 

Now, if at His teaching you take a square look, 
You'll know that He could not have written 

the book; 
It was written by men who had a design, 
In short, as they say had an ax to grind. 




102 lilBERTY, LOVE A:NT> L.AW. 



CHAPTER II. 

Now, about the day of Pentacost, 
They, feehng that their cause was lost. 
Lashed up their now fast fading zeal. 
And tried at least to see and feel. 

Part of their scheme was only shammed, 
You must believe, or else be damned; 
They preach and pray, collecting tolls 
And saved, one day, three thousand souls. 

Like in the days when men were young. 
They talked so much, they lost their tongue; 
Again in Hebrew, French and Greek, 
Did these poor creatures try to speak — 

The strangest thing you ever read. 

Each knew just what the other said; 

For, hath it not by them been writ, 

They'd had their tongues for this cause split? 

And from their mouths rushed streams of fire, 

Or else King James' book 's a . 

Like ducks around a muddy pool, 
Some said they acted like a fool. 



ANARCHY VS. SOCIALISM 103 

Being full of zeal, perhaps of spunk, 
The people thought that they were drunk; 
To make it plain and draw it fine, 
They must have taken too much wine. 

If they were tight, they then seemed loose. 
And acted fuller than a goose; 
Like geese, at least, they made a noise, 
Expressed their transports and their joys. 

The word went forth, so it is said, 
And to all nations soon was spread; 
But then, the Jews believed it not. 
Made them shut up, and called it rot. 

For a while they still around there stayed, 
But to preach aloud, they were afraid; 
Their members then, they did compel. 
Their goods and chatties, all to sell — 

Throw all together in. common lot, 
Make, if you please, a big jack-pot. 
Annanias and wife, so they now say. 
Kept back enough for a rainy day. 



104 I.IBERTY, I.OVE AND liAW. 

The Lord was mad, so it is said, 
And killed those people, straight way dead; 
No property should christians hold. 
But divy up, when it is sold; 

And some dark day, and cold and wet, 
He'll wish he had it back, you bet; 
So these good people did divide, 
And on a hobby they did ride. 

Badly housed and poorly fed, 
A miserable life, they must have led; 
Such things won't do— its very plain. 
We've saw and heard of Obenchain- 

Who made his followers divy up, 
And with their wives did lodge and sup; 
So much of superstitions dread. 
Will blind the eye and turn the head. 

After disturbing the people round about, 
Foreclosed their mortgage, turned them out 
And now they seek, and seek in vain. 
Their lost possessions to regain. 



THE JEWS L.IBERATED. 105 

So, after many years, Josephus said, 
The deciples then, were not all dead; 
Some few, he said, did yet remain, 
Who, liberty and law, held in disdain. 

They wandered around, perhaps, in herds, 
And lived like beasts, perhaps like birds; 
But Gamaliel said, and made it plain, 
That the good, will always here remain; 

Yet before they scattered, while 'twas new, 
They went straight back upon the Jew; 
And down to the house of Cornelius went, 
They claimed to him. they had been sent. 

A sheet, they say. was then let down- 
In it all kinds of things were found, 
Which they did slay, and kill, and eat, 
And while it lasted, had fresh meat 

You needen't be at all surprised. 
If young and old were then baptised; 
They had the cheek, likewise the gall. 
To capture and convert St. Paul, 



100 LIBERTY, I.OVE A^S^D I. AW. 

Who at the feet of Gamaliel sat, 

Had all their laws and cuhtoms pat, 

In history, logic and law, as well. 

And what he knew, could more than tell. 

Got himself into trouble almost every day, 
But got out again, so his historians say; 
A man of courage, eloquence and wit, 
He cared v^ery little — not a little bit, 

For creed or dogmas, hot much for learning. 
He kindled the fires and kept them burning; 
Preached in Asia, likewise in Greece; 
Wherever he went, he disturbed the peace. 

Down at Athens, he an in the races, 

At other times Paul was put through his paces; 

A man of contention, he took a delight. 

In hunting up trouble and fighting the fight. 

His admirers to-day, are a little that way, 
But now it's a game at which two can play; 
For conquest, the church doth evermore yearn, 
When conquered, they always move to adjourn. 



liOGIC OF ST. PAUIi. 107 

When young:, 'tis said, he was crossed in love; 
(Perhaps before he saw a light from above.) 
Failing in youth, to procure him a wife, 
He failed not, later, in stirring up strife; 

Never failing in courage, game to the last, 
Advisinor his followers to stand steadfast. 
He made some remark about eternal life. 
Gave poor council to husband and wife — 

Said I believe, if the grain die not. 

There'll be no new life, unless the grain rot; 

But we know now that if the seed die, 

We'll have no harvest in the sweet by and by. 

When it dies, 'twill surely return to earth, 
It must live and quicken, to give new birth; 
Thus, material resurrection, occurs each day- 
Life spring from life, is now what we say. 

And death, when it comes at last, withal. 
Ends life, and thus doth death end all; 
A ^ood false reasoner, this Paul. Pt r-se, 
But not very convincing, to a man up a tree. 



108 LIBERTY, XiOVE AND LAW. 

There were many ways then the world to save, 

The safe thing now, is just behave; 

No matter what they say or do 

Look out for him. whom they call you; 

Don't fold a serpent in your arms. 
It may not kno vyour divine charms, 
Nfor drink a deadly poison, down. 
Or cold and stiff, you may be found. 

Believe, be damned— they say it flat; 
The sijj:ns are bad, when it comes to that. 
Some things they said, may have been good, 
That you couldn't do, Sir. if you would. 

Christ was not. however, to blame for those 

things; 
They were conceived in the brain of Priests, 

and of Kings, 
And carried out by ignorance, credulity and 

fear; 
On the face of the record, those things appear. 

The thumb screw, the fagot, the rack and the 

wheel. 
Were used to make thinkers know, and to feel 
The power, the mercy, the chastening rod, 
The vengence and j ustice of an angry God. 



HOW THF B1BI.E WAS MADE. 109 

Now, if curious to know how the Bible was 

made, 
How easily a fraud, on the people was played, 
For more than three hundred years, it is said 
After Christ died, and the apostles were dead- 

And no one knovvina: who the Bible wrote, 
Thev determined to decide the thin^ by vote; 
So by the want of three votes, or there-about, 
They decided, to leave Acts of the Apostles out; 

And, by a majority of one or more, 
Thev decided to let John, the revelator. score. 
Oat of sixty-three gospels, perhaps a few more, 
They selected, by vote, only the present four. 

The book of Erasmus, was at first left in — 
The very next council pronounced it too thin; 
By the same rule they counted the Nativity out. 
Because it was natural and beautiful, no doubt. 

Describing the boyhood, and the child-life 
Of Christ, in the home of Joseph and wife. 
Next the Epistles of Peter, John. James and 

Paul, 
Were shamefully handled and that's not all — 



no LIBERTY, T.OVE AND LAW. 

There were thirty-one acts, demanding recog- 
nition. 
They voted in one. sent the rest to perdition; 
So, after voting more times that Pharaoh had lice, 
The word of God came,f rom the Council of Nice. 

Yet, not being certain of its divine percission, 
It has passed, later on, a score of revisions; 
Being hasped and clasped, put in iron frames, 
The one we possess, came, perhaps, from King 
James. 

This same King was Vice-gerent of God on the 

earth, 
Besides being a murderer and scoundrel from 

birth; 
If you examine his record, I am afraid, 
That old Nero by him was laycd in the shade. 

From the hour that religious persecution began, 
And one was called three and three only one; 
Bread was made flesh and wine changed to blood, 
The mist of darkness was changed to a flood. 

Not one child in seven, his own father knew, 
If you except the, then, unspeakable Jew; 
Virtue and chastity was to them unknown. 
As a result of the seed the churches had sown. 



WHEN THE CHURCH RUIiEB. Ill 

If you desire to know what the church did do, 
Read, if you please, Spanish history through; 
Then think of Russia, its exiles and serfs, 
Where hangs the picture of the nativity and 
birth. 

Think of the history of Italy and Rome, 

Of the blight that pervades every house and 

home- 
Where this gospel is too nearly believed; 
Think of the daughters of men thus deceived, 

By the perfidy of priest, preacher and King, 
And you'll agree with me, it's been a bad thing, 
Ever was, and will continue to be, 
Until man, by his effort, be able to free— 

His soul from the dread of a future life, 
Fill the present with joy and thus end the strife; 
She has divided humanity all of these years, 
Filled the earth with misery, sorrow and tears. 

No sooner was man forced, by this institution, 
To worship, by law, than religious persecution, 
Sponged off the earth iheboon of free throught, 
Man did as he must, and not as he ought. 



112 I.IBERTY, I.OVE AND LAW. 

Science was strangled, likewise true learning, 
The church was kept busy, torturing and burning 
Heretics, infidels, scholars, all those 
Who dared their pretentions and frauds, to ex- 
pose. 

There were some few things this N azarene knew, 
And many others, that he couldn't see through; 
The fact that the universe, is governed by law, 
Is one of the things that He never saw — 

Nor do 1 believe, that he intended to flood 
The earth with a dogma to drench it in blood; 
That He was weak, seems to us very plain, 
'Twould hardly be fare to call Him insane. 

Twas not what He did, that caused all the 

trouble, 
He sowed the seed, they fired the stubble- 
Well knowing that to make a blooming success^ 
They must first stamp out, all real progress — 

In science, in art, philosophy and learning. 
Their effort was, then, to keep the fires burning; 
How much suffering and anguish, no pen can 

tell, 
Has cursed the earth, in the doctrine of hell. 



WHO Wllili BE SAVED? 1 13 

This Nazarene had been dead, more than a thou- 
sand years, 

The earth had been drenched, with blood and 
with tears; 

No system, perhaps, had e'er given birth, 

To so much contention and strife on the earth. 

For Mohammed had flourished, had lived and 

had died. 
And no one by him had been crucified. 
The Buddhist ruled man, with an iron rod, 
But had never yet deigned to kill their God. 

Among the ten great religions of this world, 
Flame, fagot and smoke had never so curled; 
It was left, it seems, for this Prince of Peace, 
To show, of compassion, perhaps the least. 

What if Christ had not to this earth, then, came, 
And no one had spoken or heard of His name? 
Would it not have been far better for man? 
Conceive of the suffering, and sorrow, if you can, 

That has come to frighten and worry mankind, 
How far in our progress it has left us behind; 
Would man ever have been able to govern 

himself, 
If robbed of his manho-jd. his time and his wealth. 



114 LIBERTY, I.OVE ANT> LAW. 

By an ignorant Priest-hood tellingthe old story, 
That for ages and ages held them in glory? 
All power is derived from on high, so they say, 
Priests, preachers and Kings you should ever 
obey; 

Be subject alway, to the power that be, 
Nor attempt lives or souls to ever set free; 
Bow abjectly down to the will of the thing, 
That rules earth and heaven, they call it a King. 

If we'd never rebelled from the order of things. 
We'd be living to-day, by the divine right of 

Kings. 
For tardy self-government, the church is to 

blame; 
In spite of their dogma, we'r free all the same. 

Think for a moment of our infinite gain, 
Then think, if you can, of old Christian Spain; 
Paul wrote an epistle, to the Philipines. they say. 
Two thousand years past — look at them today. 

They preached throughout Asia, saying, repent! 
What abeautifulgovernment to them, it has sent; 
O'er the country where all their mighty works 

were done, 
The Hyena, the Jackal andwild Arab run. 



THE REIGN OF DIVINE EAW. 315 

With what consumate cruelty, they, the Irish 

did treat; 
Reducing them to exile, with a potato to eat. 
Thus it is the world over, where churches rule, 
Plus ignorance and crime, minus virtue and 

school. 

Faith and ignorance stalk boldly over the land, 
Christianity and oppression, go hand in hand. 
While opposition to free thought,continues to be 
Sustained and promoted, man cannot be free; 

But the fires on the altars are fast dying out; 
Education and learning, are putting to route 
The powers of darkness, slavery and fear. 
And when dead and buried, perhaps no one 

will care. 
While they seek to conquer through faith by 

fear, 
We spread the gospel of good health, good cheer, 
While they say, love God and keep up the strife; 
We are content to love home and wife. 
While they love enemies and continue to fight, 
We love our friends and turn on the light; 
While theycamenot to bring peace, but a sword. 
It's a luxury, thank you, that we can't afford; 



116 I^IBERTY, LOVE AJSTD IjAW. 

« 

If it make for us foes, in our own home- 
Better by far, had it been strangled in Rome; 
Yet it has done, I believe, all it promised to do, 
Filled earth with selfish hypocrisy, too. 

From first to last, this Book saves but man; 

Women and snakes are left out of the plan; 

"And He shall rule over thee," is first com- 
manded- 

After that, the most servile obedience is de- 
manded. 

*'Ask of thy husband, if thou wouldst know," 
And perhaps you'll be saved by doing^so; 
To his everv desire, you must ever yield. 
Hoe in the garden, work in the field. 

Be patient in child-bearing, always be true, 
Ask no questions, if you desire to get through. 
To speak in public, you should never aspire; 
If saved at all, it will be as by fire. 

And if from your husband you have a divorce, 
You'll remain a widow, as a matter of course; 
The philosophy of it is. like this, don't you see. 
It was you, who first tasted the fruit of the tree. 



WOMAIS^ NOT IN THE PI.AN. 1 17 

Now if this arrangement should not just suit, 
Remember, it comes from plucking the fruit, 
That grew in the garden, in the midst thereof; 
You should have been content to live, and to love 

Your husband; for the man, you see. 

Would hardly for knowledge, climb up a tree; 

It takes preacliers. to make those things look 

plain - 
How they saved one woman, called Magdalene, 

Out of whom, they say seven devils were cast; 
S(j there may be some chance for you at last — 
For. this being so it might possibly be, 
That you could be saved, by acting like she; 

And doing as she did. it may be true. 
That Vlagdalenesare saved-does that mean you? 
Is it possible that you must go to the bad, 
Act ugly at first, then appear to be sad? 

In short, findmg your life mis-spent, 
Turn about as they say, and then repent; 
Be booked over there, as a repentent sinner, 
A ^varmed over mess of pottage for dinner. 



118 LIBERTY, I.OVE AND I^AW. 

But if you to yourself and your husband, be true, 
There is no phice in paradise reserved for you; 
You must eat of the bread, and drink of the 

wine, 
If a seat in the kingdom of heaven, you'd find. 

There being no provision for your case made. 
So there again, it is, proceedings are stayed; 
And so far as I know, or can conceive, then 
Heaven was intended only for men; 

And if women are lost, being totally depraved. 
And no one possibly, but sinners be saved, 
Don't know as I'll so very much care. 
When the roll is called, if my name is not there. 

One moment, dear friends, before you decide- 
The churches on earth now began to divide; 
For who'd be looser and who would be winner- 
If they divide up, the saint and the sinner. 

The church made the law— everything was a 

crime. 
That couldn't be made, with her creed to 

rhyme; 
As soon as 'twas made a state institution, 
No one was safe from its persecution. 



THE r>IVi:N^E RIGHT OF WITCHES. 119 

The very best talent, the noblest brain, 
We're under its ban, and its censures lain; 
Against every science, cruel war it wages; 
With murder and crime, it stains histories pages; 

Thus they carried their dogma, to the new 

world. 
Re-kindling the fires, the flame and smoke 

curled 
While asking for pardon, their righteous souls 

yearn 
b^or someone to punish, some witches to burn. 

Of their righteous deeds, they eternally boasted, 
Counting their virtues by the number roasted; 
' Fwas a toss-up then, between saint and sinner, 
The most cruel and unjust, as a rule, was the 
winner. 

This remorseless religion was to them most 

sweet. 
They even burned roosters, out in the street; 
It was done in Salem, and is shocking now- 
At one time those Christians burned an old sow; 



120 LIBERTY, LOVE ANT> LAW. 



But the dear little pigs were allowed to escape, 
Because of theiryouth, they got out of the,scrape; 
They tried and condemned an old wooly dog, 
Because he had changed himself to a frog. 

A widow, they hung, at the end of a rope, 
Because she presisted in using a soap- 
That caused a great storm, a way out ar sea; 
They strangled her body and set her soul free. 

A boy of tender years was burned, 
Because when young, he had not learned 
When broom-sticks sail right through the air, 
With witches dangling by the hair — 

At sacred things you must not laugh; 
They roasted him. and that's not half. 
Nor a hundreth pan of the mean things thcN' 

did 
While love, liberty, law and decency kept hid 

Thousands of victims gave up their lives. 
While the Christian religion on cruehy thrives, 
Before this monster of vice is appeased; 
Heaven was not shocked, nor Jehovah dis- 
pleased. 



CONFIjICT BETWEEIS^ SCIENCE & CREED. 121 

Mathevv Male orave to it, the sanction of law, 
Blackstone swallowed the monster, blood raw; 
John Wesley upheld it, with a calm steady look, 
Said to renounce it, was to give up the book. 

More than thirty thousand victims, were thus 

put to death 
Because of one sentence, wherein the Lord sayeth 

•'Let not a Witch live." To the good Book 

cleave; 
Remember the curse, pronounced upon Eve. 

Now. think, how error forged the chains. 
That clings to her un wept remains; 
VVhile satan stalked about with horns. 

The brow of Worth, was crowned with thorns. 

• 

From St. Cyril, 'til the present hour, 
The church has ruled, when she had power. 
Oppression always stalked abroad, 
And conquered, by a pious fraud. 

St. Cyril and his Monks, 'tis said, 
Hypatias blood, in Egypt shed! 
Amid her shrieks and awful groans. 
They scraped her flesh from off her bones, 



122 LIBERTY, IjOVE AKD LAW. 

Destroyed the Forum, her seat of learning, 
And set the world's great library burning; 
Constantine, the pious, the world arrayed 
Against free thought; his wife betrayed, 

And caused a flood of bitter tears, 
Slew his three sons, the next two years; 
Made the word of God, at Nice, by vote, 
Acts of Apostles, 'tis said he wrote. 

John Calvin, next, now takes his turn, 
With folded arms, Servetus burns; 
Remorse did not his hard heart break, 
When he lashed his victim to the stake. 

One word from him would save a life; 
He fanned the flame of bitter strife; 
Bruno, like sluth-hounds, they persue, 
A martyr's portal he passed through. 

Think of the anguish, sorrow, and pain, 
That the Jews endured in Christian Spain. 
Dying by dozens, yea, multiplied scores, 
Yet nothing compared with the fate of the 
Moors — 



THE REIGN OF TERROR. 123 

A mother starvin;L> a babe on her breast, 
While they, the crucifix and cross caressed; 
No pity they felt, for their cries and groans. 
The highways and by-ways, were strewn with 
l)ones. 

Persecution, 5 hey tell us, is dying out, fast, 
Having run its course, it cannot long last; 
The Cathedral and Church from pillar to dome. 
Is fast going the way of Imperial Rome. 

Just think of the energy, courage and zeal 
They have wasted, in trying to make mankind 

feel 
That providence is all —all there is to be — 
That man would be lost if he tried to be free. 

How the wheels of progress, they'v tried to 

block- 
Holding back the works, of a Seth-'Ihomas 

clock 
More than twelve hundred years; being led to 

believe. 
That in this way, they, mankind could deceive. 



124 JLIBERTY, JLOVE AND I. AW. 

'TVas blasphemy then, to mark time on a dial, 
For from the beginning, 'twas just a good while; 
Like measuring a degree on the face of the 

earth. 
Everything was a crime, that had not its birth 

In the church — for do we not owe, 
To her and her priests, all that we know? 
For as long as she sat, so high on the perch, 
All musthuml)ly bow to the will of the church. 

But men like Zuingly, Luther, and Hess, 
And a dozen others, perhaps more orless, 
Demanded of her, and her pretentions. 
The rieht to secede and create dissensions. 

John Wesley, Knox, and all of the rest 
Whom mankind have honored, and called the 

blest; 
For they broke chains, destroyed some slavery, 
And told what they knew of the churches 

knavery; 

But they lived long enough to show, if they had 
The power, they would, perhaps, do just as bad; 
VVesley's wise principles, and Knox's old songs, 
Were as bad as the devil, his fork and his tongs. 



THE REIGN OF TERROR. 125 

They always used clubs, disdaining small 

switches; 
Took time between drinks to help burn the 

witches; 
If a boy should blaspheme when small or young, 
They then took the trouble to cut out his 

tongue; 

Pluck out finger nails, cut their eye-lids off. 
If at a preacher, they did but scoff; 
Brand foreheads, break off their front teeth, 
And other mild means, to cure unbelief. 

I must have lived then — I can almost feel 
The red hut iron, and the l)lue cold steel; 
The pinchers, as they tear out the finger nail, 
The wheel, the dungeon — that made men quail. 

To think of it now, my blood almost boils; 
How it held humanity secure in its toils; 
Just think of it now, and think of it then, 
When monsters ruled over the children of men. 

How much of talent, then went to waste, 
As after a phantom, those demons chased; 
They quoted a book, with reference to slaves. 
This Book, the way to human bondage paves- 



126 LIBERTY, I.OVE A]SrD LAW. 

Upheld polygamy, as a divine institution- - 
And this Book they want in our constitution; 
They try this scheme almost every year, 
That they will succeed, you need have no fear. 

The world grows better, day by day, 
As we learn more, we cease to pray; 
The Gods are stark, and cold, and dead- 
By science now, the world is led. 

She fills our house, and every home, 
With joy and love, like a sweet poem; 
Our material comforts being the chief, 
Our food and clothing, beats fig and leaf. 

No man that's more than half a man, 
Will torture his wife, e'en if he can, 
But protect her like a blooming flower, 
She'll fill his home with joy each hour. 

Don't drive your children from their home. 
Nor fret, nor froth, and preach and foam, 
Because a Book, they don't believe. 
Are honest, frank and don't deceive-- 



THE I>AWN OF REASON. 127 

Nor seem to care a little bit 
About acting like a hypocrite; 
Break off the chains and free the mind, 
Give them hberty, be not unkind; 

And if outside your realm they soar, 
Don't you go home and make a roar; 
Perhaps what you know, may be so, 
Perhaps they'll learn more than you know. 

The best traits always will survive; 
They will, assure as you're alive; 
If you'll but cultivate the kind, 
That's best and purest in the mind — 

If you'll but look right close to home, 
You'll heads, a plenty find to comb. 
If thino^s at home are all good cheer. 
Vou need have nothing, then, to fear. 

It takes right at a billion a year, 
To destroy our comfort, health, good cheer; 
Millions, it takes, to keep us in dread. 
Saves a few souls, at so much per head. 



128 LIBERTY, LiOVE AKD LAW. 

If God rules us, then who's to blame? 
He'll save, or damn us, just the same; 
We need not worry need not weep, 
But just be still, saved on the cheap. 

He knew as well, just who'd be lost, 
Before life's portal we had crossed; 
Can save us all if he but tries. 
If 'tis a fact that he's all wise. 

1 can't help Him, He can help me — 
Now who's most generous, we shall see; 
If I'm not saved, then who's to blame? 
There's something wrong, somewhere, I claim 

For, He has said, "I'll them deceive." 
What matter then, what I believe? 
He fore-ordained some to be lost; 
They can't be saved at any cost. 

1'his reasoning's plain as six and seven; 
It's all His fault, if I miss heaven. 
So God doth rule, or else He don't, 
And I'll be saved, or else I wont. 



ATONEMENT SAVES THE WRONG MAN. 129 

Suppose it rests on your belief, 
And you of sinners are the chief — 
Have ruined homes, someone deceived, 
Repent and say, "I have believed" — 

Go straight to glory on the train, 
Your victims lost; that's very plain; 
You take a harp for the next set, 
Your security, Sir, will pay the debt. 

Fix this thing up, Sir. if you can, 
Repentence then, saves the wrong man; 
It saves a wreck, most every time, 
And pays a premium on crime. 

Then look at it another way — 
A good man comes down here, to stay 
A little while. A few short years 
Are spent by Him in doubts and fears; 

Does no one harm, does not repent, 
Straightway to hell, then. He is sent; 
The bad man's saved, the good man's lost, 
Faith and repentance pays the cost. 



130 LIBERTY, LOVE AJSTD LAW. 

To which place, then, do good folks go? 
How can you reap just what you sow? 
To you and me, which seeraeth right? 
Now answer up, Sir, honor bright. 

If the other way, then, Sir, be true, 
I'll take my chances then, with you; 
Worship good health; likewise, good cheer- 
Have nothing, here on earth, to fear. 

Our conduct here, will ring us in. 
When to go wrong, we do begin; 
Live in obedience to the law, 
Nor eat each other up blood raw. 

Confine our love to home and wife, 
Avoid dissensions, likewise strife; 
Love all mankind as best we can. 
And seek to aid our fellow man. 

The birds will sing, the flowers will bloom, 
If we should vacate our small room; 
The same grand sounds, and sights to see, 
The joyous notes — the busy bee. 



PROVIDENCE OR l^AW- WHICH? 131 

All move along, the same straight line, 
If in ihe race we're left behind; 
The earth around the sun revolve, 
No matter what be our resolve. 

If the whole earth was rid of man, 
It would not much disturb the plan; 
For, if daylight we'd never saw. 
It would not change eternal law. 

The tempests rage, the cold wind blows, 
No thought at all of our thin clothes; 
The cyclones sweep across the plain, 
Cares not for loss or creatures pain. 

Consumption wastes the human frame, 
And yet no one at all to blame; 
No source of all our joys and woes, 
We have our friends, as well as foes. 

At nature we should ne'er complain. 
Sometimes its dry, sometimes its rain; 
Sometime the pesky little mouse, 
Destroys some things about the house. 



132 LIBERTY, r,OVE ANT> IjAW. 

The mole roots up the garden spot, 
The weeds grow rapid when it's hot; 
The potato feeds the tater bug, 
The moth eats up the carpet rug; 

The pig climbs oyer the pig pen, 
Anon breaks up the setting hen; 
We have the measles and the mumps, 
And when crops fail we have the dumps- 

But when we hear the dinner horn. 
And the doctor say, "a child is born," 
Our only cow has had two calves. 
We kno.v bad luck don't come in halves. 

Anon the mules break down the fence, 
All on account of providence. 
Who either is. or is not to blame, 
The off one, now. is beastly 1 me. 

The babies cry for want of milk; . 
The hired girl's dressed up in silk- 
Swings on the gate, waits for her beau; 
Do I thank providence, well, I don't know. 



PROVIDElSrCE OR I.AW WHICH? 133 

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, 
Anon I will, and then I won't; 
But now I'm stuck and cannot budge, 
I think at me He holds a grudge. 

Two bal)ies now, just newly born, 
And chinch bugs eating up the corn; 
The cut-worms got our early peas, 
And cabbage ^ orms as thick as fleas. 

1 sometimes think it must be so, 
That Pharaoh let the children go — 
Since he was at such great expense, 
All on account of providence; 

That the\' weren't his I almost know, 
Or he would hardly let them go 
For lice and frogs, and such as that; 
The Lord made Pharaoh thus stand pat. 

Pharaoh, himself, w^as not to blame, 
The Bible says so just the same, 
tlis men could also, thus make frogs, 
To swim and dive and sit on logs; 



134 LIBERTY, I.OVE AND I^AW. 

And lice and snakes, and locusts too, 
Besides all else, right straight through; 
Except their snakes were rather small, 
To swallow his head, hair and all. 

So Pharaoh climbed from off the fence, 
And played thumbs down, to providence; 
He acted foolish, maybe, too, 
Yet he did just then as he must do. 

Now, we had better let that go, 
And fess right up. Sir, 1 don't know. 
There may be one God, maybe more, 
I've read and heard of several score 

Most of those gods, I think, are dead; 
At least that's what the preacher said; 
And Providence is dying too, 
I think that's right now, Sir, don't you? 

The preacher, prophet, priest and king. 
Are only now a common thing; 
We all know now, more than they knew, 
Their guess has failed about the Jew. 



THE DAW:N^ of reason. 135 

So, with the legend of the flood, 
And turning planets into blood — 
The earth has not yet caught on fire, 
Nor is it fiat, or I'm mistaken. 

Jehovah reigns — that's what they say, 
And some folks still toward Him pray; 
They still keep up the Sunday School, 
Wherein they make, and turn out tools 

To fashion vessels, so I learn, 

Wherein religious zeal to burn; 

They make them, as they may have need, 

And teach them how, and what to read. 

Its dying slow, but dying sure, 
The bairn in Gilead will not cure; 
We write new gospel, every day, 
To it you neither kneel nor pray. 

The tree of knowledge still bears fruit, 
Pleasing the taste, the mind to suit; 
It's growing grander every hour, 
In bud and bloom, in leaf and flower. 



136 I.IBERTY, LOVE AXD LAW. 

We're learning fast, will know it soon, 
That love and kindness, is the boon 
To save mankind from all their sins, 
And knock base fear from off its pins; 

That punishment will not cure crime, 
Thus do away with hell in time; 
That belief, is always a poor guide- 
A hobby, on which some folks ride; 

That in miracle, there is no reason, 
To say so now, is not deemed treason; 
That faith, would be but a poor rule, 
To teach and practice in the school; 

That better clothes and better food, 
Will civilize and help the rude; 
That liberal learning and more book, 
Will help the mind, as well as looks. 

Education, now, Sir, by your leave. 
With all good things on earth, achieve; 
If we but know, we are inclined 
The right to do. the good to find; 



THE DAWN OF REASON. 137 

By it all beauty we can see, 
In landscape, flower, in vine and tree; 
By it we sow, and reap and plant. 
Study the insects, the bird, the ant; 

Glean the grandure of rock and rill, 
And climb by science the rugged hill; 
Loose selfishness, in nobler thought, 
And feel well pleased with our good lot; 

By it we keep our health and strength. 
And reach the goal of life at length; 
We have no fear for over there- 
For here and now, we have a care. 

By it we read the distant stars, 
And span the earth with trains and cars; 
We now, the world can almost beat. 
With Admiral Dewey's marvelous fleet. 

By it we study the earth's crust. 
In it we put our every trust; 
Science, we say, and it alone. 
Brought to our door, the telephone. 



138 LIBERTY, I.OVE ANT> LAW. 

The telegraph that spans the earth, 
Cost us much less than it is worth; 
The motor car that science gave, 
Doth man and beast, great labor save, 

By it the electric light doth shine, 
That make our thoroughfares look fine; 
I don't see how we'd get along, 
If science weren't so high and strong. 

We pay the bill, bear the expense, 
And thank for nothing-Providence; 
Those things are just outside his line- 
In the realm of science he cannot shine. 




THE CHRISTIAN'S CLAIN. 139 



CHAPTER III. 

It is amusing to hear the Christian's fond claim, 
For our progress and culture take all of the 

blame; 
For civilization, and all of our learning, 
They claim to have been forever yearning. 

Superstition and intollerance, their mightiest 

tools- 
Thcy desire control of all our public schools; 
Does the pulpit encourage scientific free 

thought? 
Do they teach what is known — or Sir, do they 

not? 

They claim of morals, to deal in the best, 
Altho' preachers are frailer, than all of the rest; 
Of what ever profession, business or kind. 
To think they are purest, is all in your mind. 

Morals is a virtue, that all should posess 
Beciuse it is right, purest, easiest and best- 
And because society demands of a man, 
That he should do rio^ht, as near as he can. 



140 I.IBBRTY, liOTE AND IjAW. 

You may fool the mother, that gave to you 

birth, 
But you go in society for what you are worth; 
Hypocrisy is always found under a cloak, 
But you cannot turn virtue into a joke. 

You love to stand high, as well as the rest, 
And for that simple reason, you do your dead 

best; 
Hypocrisy, as such, belong to the church, 
And is where folks go to hide a bad smirch. 

They rush to the church to hide a bad deed. 
For they need a thick cloak, they do, Sir, indeed; 
When people go wrong, that is, act very bad, 
To get into some church, they alwaysseem glad; 

For, misery loves company, as the old saying 

goes. 
And seeds seek a soil, where like se^d grows; 
If it made people better, it seems to us plain, 
That all would be good over in Christian Spain. 

Christianty over there, is a matter of law, 
And they are as consistent as you ever saw; 
For they are illiterate, almost ninety per cent. 
And in their ignorance are likewise content; 



THE CHRISTIAN'S CIjAIM. 141 

Over in Ireland the same facts are true, 
And would you not, therefore, be Christian too? 
Armenia has had it two thousand years; 
Read their history of suffering, of sorrow and 
tears. 

America, England, Germany and France, 
Are countries at least, where folks have a chance; 
In their conscience and law, Jehovah is left out. 
And as to His being, they express a doubt. 

Wherever the church has had full sway, 
And people, by law. were compelled to pray- 
The church supreme, and Kings were divine. 
Oppression and exile have ruled mankind; 

But in this fair land where mankind are free, 
No one is compelled to e'er bow the knee; 
Good health, good cheer, is worshiped by us- 
About saving our souls we make little fuss. 

About our free government we make the true 

claim, 
That the church or Jehovah are in no way to 

blame; 
By remaining subject to the powers that be, 
We could not expect to ever be free. 



142 LIBERTY, LOVE AND LAW. 

Like men we rebelled, put a kingdom to route, 
Organized a Republic, with Jehovah left out; 
Which, for one hundred years the churches 

have been 
Hunting a small hole, to sneak His majesty in; 

With petitions, each Congress has thus been 

assailed- 
Against our free institutions, she ever has railed; 
If she doth but succeed, free government is 

done, 
And we. byjehovahand His lieutenantsberun. 

Liberty hide her fair face t)ehind a thick vail. 
And the flag of freedom, in the dust will trail; 
From this dire calamity pray deliver me — 
This prayer must be answered by men who'd be 
free. 

But a contract is made as well as a trade, 
With the Church of Rome, the bargain is made. 
By which an amendment, by them proposed, 
Will our liberty and law l)e forever deposed. 

A divine combine, an evangelical trust. 
Then our only hope is — the combine may bust. 
But if it should come, and come to stay, 
Virtue and chastity, must then hide away — 



THE CHRISTIA^S^'S CLAIM. 143 

For it is a fact, that where she doth rule, 
Such words are as useless as the free school; 
In Italy and Spain 'tis a fact so they say, 
Not one child in seven knows his father to-day. 

Do you desire such conditions to prevail over 

here? 
Just help out the church and the thing will 

occur. 
The Abyssinians by cruelty doth Christians 

amuse, 
Every rule of decency doeth those Christians 

abuse; 

Yet they've had the pure stuff for two thou- 
sand years; 
Are intolerent and cruel, they govern by fears; 
Read theirhistory, Sir, their customs and feasts, 
Then bear your head to the lowest down beasts. 

What she has done there, she would soon do 

here; 
From her memorial to Congress we are led to 

infer. 
That the flame, the faggot, the dungeon and 

lash. 
Would follow her success, the very next dash. 



144 lilBERTY, I.OTE AND LAW. 

Her effort to put deity into our constitution, 
Is a menace at liberty and free institution; 
Her Sunday allience, with the church of Rome, 
Is a direct attack on the family and home. 

One of the reasons her interests she pools, 
Is to force Christianity into our schools; 
This much accomplished, then it is plain, 
That our lost paradise, will be hard to regain. 

To destroy her power, is our only hope, 

To sever the alliance between preachers and 

pope; 
They set up of nights, they work every hour, 
To form an alliance with civil power. 

We need have no fear,nor take a pesimists view, 
Knowintr their record as well as we do, 
It will take all their frauds the people to fool- 
Let them hold to their creed, but leave us the 
school. 

The world will advance, mankind live and love. 
Human government stand, without aid from 

above; 
Free thought continue to civilize the race, 
The church will go down, the school take its 

place. 



THE CIIRISTIAI»»f'S PROUB BOAST. 145 

The heathen may rage, the preacher may howl, 
At science and progress continue to growl; 
Evolution will conquer, as the ages doth roll, 
Little time will be wasted in saving tlie soul. 

Itcoststhechurch more her pretensions to tiaunt, 
Than would relieve this world of misery and 

want; 
Most of our unfortunates-the vicious and poor, 
Have in some way been thrust from the church 

door. 

With her past evil record she ought be content. 
Yet she furnishes the asylum with some eighty 

per cent. 
She fills I he alms-house, the prison and jail, 
As the good ship 'Zion' through troubled seas 

sail; 

Her crevv's falling off, she's now sailing slow; . 
To church, in this country, less than twelve 

per cent go — 
Less than one-half are Christians, so I should 

judge, 
Yet she claims the world, and then wants to 

fudge. 

That she helps my morals will. Sir, hardly do. 
It would be nothing to boast of. even if true; 
Yet how could it be. since I never repent, 
And for her support never contribute a cent? 



146 lilBERTY, liOVE AND I^AW. 

But such is her arrogance, such is her boast, 
She may yet even up, by watching us roast; 
Yet, such men as Zachias, who gave Christ a 

dinner, 
Are denounced by her as pubhcan and sinner. 

Zachias was generous, kind hearted and free, 
And viewed such things, like a man, up a tree- 
Was a man of affairs, the best around town, 
Who provoke from saints, their darkest hued 
frown; 

While they laud to the skies, the man without 

brains. 
Who don't know enough to go in when it rains; 
The scientist and thinker for them hath no 

charms, 
While the ignorant and vicious rush into her 

arms. 

Saloon men are Christian, more than eighty 

per cent. 
For the best pews la church, these men pay the 

rent; 
Bank presidents, defaulters, are all Sunday 

School men, 
Their support to the gospel, they willingly lend. 



IS THE CliAlM REASONAJiliE? 147 

The murderer condemned, most always repent, 
And straightway to glory, his dark soul is sent; 
Does the church for those men furnish the 

leaven? 
With that kind of stuff are you filling high 

heaven? 

This argument is strong, you may call it unfair. 
But such being a fact, we don't care to be there; 
It will take, in our juegement, a strong police 

force. 
To protect saints in heaven, as a matter of 

course. 

None but good, honest folks, then ever will 

burn, 
For the vilest of sinners, they say, may return - 
Thugs, thieves and villains, both livmg and 

dead- 
So you better look out for the crown on your 

head. 

Now, if those are the people sure to get through, 
I now take my chance, and leave it with you; 
There must be a mistake, somehow, or some- 
where, 
To save only the bad. would hardly be fair. 



148 LIBERTY, LOVE AISD LAW. 

Yet, for this cause only, was the Nazarene sent, 
To frighten the wicked and make them repent; 
But those things have changed, old religions 

are dead, 
And the church is trying to forge on ahead. 

Having held progress back for hundreds of 

years, 
And seeing no hope of controling through fears, 
Beholding in science, all there is of worth. 
She adopts evolution and then claims the earth; 

No one would have thought it had she not 

thus claimed, 
For she's never been convicted, or even blamed 
For bringing us happiness, or comfort, or good; 
Clogging the wheels of progress whenever she 

could. 

She's entitled to credit for what she has done, 
For all countries are failures, which she has run; 
But when left to themselves, the exceptions are 

few. 
Where they've not done better; for example, 

the Jew. 



SUPERSTITION IS I>YI:N^G OUT. 140 

While being ruled and run on the divine plan, 
Were monumental failures, almost to a man; 
But when left alone, for a brief space of time, 
They are free, as a people of poverty and crime. 

They have all the rights that others posstss, 
And are not by Jehovah's directions oppressed; 
Their fears growing less, their zeal growing cold, 
They worship the calf as well as the gold. 

For the Christian religion they have little use, 
For being wealthy and thrifty they take the 

abuse; 
The v- orld's growing better, crime and misery 

grow less; 
The gods of the past are only a guess. 

The thunders of Sinai, are heard no more, 
No ministering angels through space now soar; 
Virtue and innocence are not now a shield, 
Nor the will of deity by spirits revealed. 

Would it were so, that somewhere in space. 
Justice could be done the entire human race; 
Where the innocent don't suffer, the gul ty go 

free- 
A Goddess with scales who could justice see. 



150 LIBERTY, IjOVE AND ILAW, 

We thank GdcI for victory, hold a Peace Jubilee, 
And yet we, ourselves, are only half free; 
We have driven Spain back on her own Chris- 
tian shore. 
Yet she's not thankful, but continues to roar; 

Her vessels were consecrated, by the divine 

right of Priests, 
Yet we captured and sunk them, both west and 

east; 
Then thank the Lord for what our brave boys 

done- 
Perhaps McKiiiley did it jubt merely for fun. 

Perhaps the Lord helps the strongest to beat, 
And is always well pleased with the weaker's 

defeat; 
Will men ever cease putting their Jehovah to 

shame? 
For the cruelties of war make Him, bear the 

blame? 

This our main trouble with the old barberous 

Book- 
It contains many things on which no good 

being should look. 
While the doctrines taught, doth contentions 

breed, 
It is, therefore, a Book that few men should 

read; 



SUPERSTITION^ IS DYING OUT. 151 



(Charging an all-wise being with cruelty and 

crime, 
That would disgrace a barbarian almost any 

time. 
Let us lay it aside and on this fact agree, 
That man is, by right, and ought to be free. 




"^"^J^^cSS: 



1^ 

<!lilllllllllMli 

llimniim"" 




"millimilll 

"iiiiiiiniiii, 






■ppelude to f>aA Tf^ree. 



I'hinkof a time, when time begun, 
Beyond all time, all space and sun; 
Think of a time when time shall end- 
Think of the time you will thus spend. 

In tracing out a great first cause, 
At the effect then, Sir, you'll pause; 
Cause and effect, an endless chain, 
It's then the law, I do maintain — 

Fixes all things, sets them in motion, 
Systems, planets, earth, air and ocean; 
Time, as an entity, had no beginning, 
As such, therefore, can have no ending. 

Changes, therefore, as obseived around us, 
Perplex and puzzel, oftim.\s confound us; 
No atom of matter was ever destroyed. 
Its material chanj^es, we cannot avoid. 



Constantly changing, always the same, 
No Deity to thank, no demon to blame; 
We ought not, however, trouble borrow. 
What we are to-day, we'll not be tomorrow. 

Travel in space in a single direction. 
On a straight line, make no deflection- 
Travel at the speed of a ray of light, 
Rest nowhere then, either day or night- 
Rush on for da)'s months, years and ages, 
Cover with figures, all histories pages; 
All records and blanks, fill all the files. 
You never can count, the distance in miles- 

Or proceed one inch in ineffable space, 
Altho' you add ages to the futile race. 
All things have existed, absolute, eternal. 
The evening and morning eternally nocternal. 

Mind is eternal, as a'so is matter. 
Force prevades mind, likewise, the latter; 
Force prevades all thmgs, sets it in motion, 
According to law, or preconceived notion. 



All things that are, are therefore eternal, 
Undergoing changes, both ex- and internal. 
Life is the same, whatever its position. 
Changing according to external condition. 

Life is the same in the animal, Per-se, 
As life in the plant, or in the oak tree; 
Differing in quality and quantity, perforce, 
And in manifestation as a matter of course. 

Life cannot, therefore, become extinct- 
As soon as changed, it's again on the brink; 
Ready again to spring into existence, 
The same vital energy, the same persistence — 

That caused us, therefore, to be before, 
VVill au^ain aid us to open the door- 
Thit between time and eternity is closed. 
When our frail corpse is first deposed. 

We should never then dread annihilation. 
But rather await — rejuvenization. 
When the tired phylosopher lays down to sleep, 
All animate nature his vigils will keep. 



Regarding death, rather a worthy distinction, 
Than in the beyond there is total extinction; 
As to an Al-wise Being, we neither affirm nor 

deny. 
But hold that man, on himself should rely. 

The good in nature, springs like flowers from 

the sod. 
The marvelous is, then, what the illiterate call 

God. 
We know, we feel, we can see every hour, 
That there is inexorable eternal pcwer-- 

While earth with beaulv and grandeur doth 
team, 

That the esscnse of goodness, is therefore su- 
preme; 

There is a subtile principle called the vital force. 

That is hird to explain as a matter of course. 

Yet there being no absolute ruh^ of right. 
It is, therefore, our duty to be honor bright; 
We cannot, therefore, know eternal truth. 
Nor clothe our years in perpetual youth. 

What then remains for us mortals to do, 
To our highest ideal, always be true. 



EVOIiUTlON AND INVOIjUTIOM. 157 



■part Third 



CHAPTER I. 

Few men have the courage, to take a square look 
At the nature of things outside of the Book. 
For nature moves on her primordal plain. 
Regardless alike of monad or man; 

Courting no favors, asking no odds, 
Nor bending her course to the will of the Gods; 
Moves onward, upward, in a straight line. 
Knowing not, or caring why sun or stars shine; 

For, whether man feels pleasure or pain. 
Is nothing to her, he need not remain; 
She'll kindly receive him, back to her arms- 
The mighty or lowly hath for her equal charms. 

Leaving behind all merit or worth, 

She'll receive back, what she gave him at birth; 

Man being merely a product of nature, 

Is furnished accordinof to the wants of his nature. 



158 JLiIBERTY, LOVE AND I.AW. 

m 
Man evolves mind out of unformed matter, 
Mind is a product, a producer the latter; 
Thought is woven in the machine of the brain, 
The material used like the links in a chain — 

In endless precision continue to connect, 
All material forms, from man to the insect 
Which select material to construct its nest, 
Its needs are supplied, and so with the rest — 

Of nature's wards; for all that's demanded, 
Is measure for measure, full, even-handed; 
No more is required from the penitent thief. 
Than nature demands of the bug on the leaf. 

We are here not to stay, only remain; 
Of nature's laws we should never complain; 
The cultured mind, sees nothing but beauty, 
Does right from pleasure, never from duty. 

Man, by his nature, should by right be free- 
Liberty, love and law, grow on the same tree; 
Myth, mystery and miracle, a poisonous vine. 
Round about its vitals, doth its coils en-twine. 



EVOLUTION AND INVOI^UTIOM. 159 



The tree of knowledge, is hung pendent with 
swords, 

While the Heads of the Church, are as empty 
as gourds. 

The Cherubim, guards and protects superstition, 

While with flaming swords they destroy educa- 
tion. 

We learn, we improve by experience and reason; 
What we know to be right, was by them called 

treason; 
According to their law, The Mosa^ Plan, 
Was deaf dumb and blind to the rights of man. 

If he could have ceased long enough, from car- 
nage and strife. 

To have wrote on the table, ''one husband, 
one wife — 

"One only, to cherish, to love, at a time" — 

This verse would have never appeared in this 
rhyme; 

Or, had known that man, is man's own brother, 
That no one should own or en-slave another. 
And the title be good, those two truths alone. 
Would out-weigh all the rest, he wrote on the 
stone. 



160 I.IBERTY, LOVE AND LAW. 

Things appear to be right, vvhea the reasonable 

man, 
Adjusts all his actions to the legitimate plan. 
As it presents itself to his enlightened mind, 
Being no absolute rule, to guide mankind. 

Keep self in harmony with immutable law, 
See the bright side without observing the flaw; 
Learn to avoid all the breakers and shoals. 
Not forgetting the fact, that all creatuers have 

souls- 
Have certain^ights we are bound to respect, 
Conceed them fair treatment, if such you expect; 
We should never on earth, cause needless pain, 
When to help others, it's always our gain. 

Nature moves along lines with greatest persist- 
ence, 

When and where she encounters the least re- 
sistance; 

As when making a world, or forming a star, 

The energies of nature seem always at war. 

As water, by heat, is transformed into oil. 
By a pressure so great it can neither boil- 
Nor expand into vapor; — therefore, 
Heat transforms oil, into water once more. 



THE KEIGN OF JLAW. 101 

By a change in conditions, the order reversed, 
The particles released, into vapor dispersed; 
To again take its place among the elements of 

space, 
Ever changing in form still pursuing the race. 

By reason of the law of involution, 
Nature adopts the order of evolution; 
The supply oi light and heat, therefore, 
Will hardly grow less. [)erhaps not more. 

Force and matter formed the earth's crust, 
A store house, wherein is held in trust 
All things that are of use to man. 
Which science compels her to yield up again. 

Cause and effect therefore an endless chain, 
As often as severed, is mended again; 
Ever changing, always the same, 
No Being to thank, no monster to blame. 

What would trouble us. and worry mankind, 
Would be to see wisdom, or a wise mind, 
In creating wind storms, or blizzards to freeze, 
Instead of a mild and gentle breeze; 



162 r^IBERTY, I^OVE AJSTD LAW. 

Fires to consume, waters to flood, 
Diseases to transmit and remain in the blood; 
Enmity to exist between man and his brother, 
An in-human desire to destroy one another. 

Why should cancers feed on the being frame? 
Consumption consume— no human to blame; 
Why a moment of pleasure, cost an eternity 

of pain? 
Does the fall in the garden those^ facts explain? 

Those questions un-answered for all these years. 
Have cost millions in treasure, oceans of tears. 
What mankind has suffered, no mortal can tell. 
Since this conflict has raged twixt heaven and 
hell. 

Now all we ask, is the liberty, you see, 
To destroy the vine that's destroying the tree- 
Of knowledge of good, and evil as well; 
When that is permitted then we can tell — 

What causes, in nature, so very much strife, 
And perhaps explain the phenomenon of life; 
Can make plain at least, that man has the power 
To aid himself, and enjoy more each hour. 



IN TIIP] REAI^M OF MIND. 163 

Man, simpl}' beloni^s to nature's realm. 
Is master at once, from rudder to helm; 
Can redeem himself, if redemption is needed, 
And return to nature from whence he proceeded. 

Truth is, if man was sponged from existance, 
Nature'd move on with the same persistence; 
Flowers would still bloom, birds continue to 

sing, 
Winter's tomb be rol)bed bv the verdure of 

spring 

Each in its usual dismal rotation, 
Regardless alike of tribe oi of nation; 
The same marvelous sounds and sights to see, 
In material life, the busy bee. 

For earth was not young, when animal life 
Found a place on its bosom, filled it with strife; 
Nor need there be change in her revolution. 
If life had ne'er begun this terrestrial evolution. 

With no eye to see. and no ear to hear. 
The day, the week, the month and the year- 
Would as unceasingly roll around. 
Could we but know it, no changes be found — 



164 I.IBERTY, I.OVE A]ST» LAW. 

In the marvelous tracing of time and tide, 
Nothing be lost but the chime, the pride, 
Of busy, animate life, and its aid 
In transforming what is ah'cady made. 

Matter, being all things, if follows the kind, 
Man evolves from cinder, is transformed into 

mind - 
Each element a cinder, will be cinder, again; 
Just how it transpires, is perhaps hard to explain. 

The mystery of intellect, mind, soul and will, 
Continues the mind of sages to fill, 
With vague speculation, as wrapped in a shroud, 
Were the forces dispelled in a firey cloud. 

Because some things to us, a mystery remain, 
Is no reason why we should not explain — 
What can be explained, and is important to 

know; 
What can't be, then, it's our business to let go. 

Just why the same food that forms wool on the 

sheep. 
Makes feathers on the goose— is a secret that'll 

keep- 
'Til we learn why the tail of the domestic dog 
Never sheds, like that of the voracious frog. 



THE PERSISTENCY OF LIFE. 165 

No matter how long we floated in space, 

How long before the animal race, 

Could roam forrest and marsh, breathe the free 

air, 
Be male and female, a primordal pair— 

MovinLT along lines of the least resistence; 
Those only surviving, who. by greatest persist- 
ence, 
Succeed in the struggle, for life is a game, 
In which death plays a part; it may be the same 

As when two mighty forces oppose and con- 
tend; 
The strongest live longest— succeed in the end. 
In filling the earth with the best of their kind; 
This rule has prevailed time out of mind. 

Pursuing the struggle from monad to mountain, 
Death enters the tomb, life springs from the 

fountain; 
Life lives on life, is an inexorable law, 
That critics and pessimists point out as a flaw. 

Which mars her fiir fame forever; 

But nature uses this law, as a lever 

To relieve the pressure in life's dark domain; 

Its prolific tendency thus helps to restrain; 



166 LIBERTY, LOVE AISTD LAW. 

For by her laws of surplus and persistence, 
Life would soon crowd itself out of existence; 
If one poppy seed be allowed to spread free, 
It would soon crowd all other seeds into the sea; 

If one single codfish could breed to its notion, 
It would as soon, crowd all other fish out of the 

ocean; 
One male human biped, is capable from birth, 
To, in his brief lifetime re-people the earth. 

Add to those deductions your own conclusion; 
Life, everywhere, abounds in marvelous pro- 
fusion- 
Ready and willing to take its place 
Begin organization, engage in the race. 

So it is, yon see, where the fittest survives, 
It succeeds at the expense of myriads of lives; 
Life on this planet, plays a borrowed part. 
Hard to restrain when it once gets a start; 

Its mission, therefore, is then from its birth, 
To lay tribute on life, 'til it returns to the earth; 
Evolve mind out of matter, and then after all, 
It might have been as well, if we'd not been 
at all. 



THE EVOLUTION OF I.IFE. 167 

A sad thins: is life, if with sorrow and pain, 
We fill up its measure, but see it again, 
Full of sunshine and song; it doth to us seem 
But a sweet memory, a bright pleasant dream. 

We bait the fish with a worm, that hath fed on 

a king, 
Then eat of the fish, that hath fed on the thing; 
So, accordino^ to nature's eternal fiat, 
The fishworm aflfords all, a liberal diet; 

So it is we fatten all creatures, thus 

We live 1 them, they in turn maintain us; 

Fat king, lean worm, a sumptuous dish; 

All pursue the course of the king and the fish. 

To contemplate, it's not just so nice; 
If it happen once, it may happen twice; 
Occurring once, it may occur again, 
And so on forever, worlds without end; 

For nature takes bac <. all things at cost, 
Altho' changed often, nothing is lost; 
Mind, Jike man, is a product of earth, 
P'rom the food we eat a thought's given birth. 



168 lilBERTY, I^OVE AlSijy ]LAW. 

By some chemical action on food, it is said, 
A marvelous thought is evolved from the head; 
The same food, in kind, that forms hair and 

leather, 
Is chemically transformed into wool and feather. 

The same air and soil, sunshine and rain, 
Will produce sour rhubarb, or sweet sugar cane; 
All depending, of course, on chemical action, 
On the law of affinities universal attraction. 

But, should we not Hve again for millions of 

years. 
Fraught with joys and grief, sorrow and tears- 
We would never miss the time, so to speak. 
For we did not live when Spartan and Greek — 

Strove to conquer; defend honor and home, 
Nor do we remember when Nero burned Rome; 
But down in our souls we feel rather glad, 
That we were absent, when Nero was mad. 

Perhaps was not even a very small boy, 
When the Trogan besieged the city of Troy. 
Many thousands of years befere we were born. 
Did Joshua take Jerico, with a rams horn. — 



THE CONTINUANCE OF I^IFE. 160 

Nor do we remember-we must have just left- 
Before Achan committed that infamous theft, 
That caused the next battle to end in defeat, 
Caused Joshua at Ai, to sound the retreat. 

Now, if we care little, for where we were then, 
How much the less will we care, when 
We cease to be; and in solitude deep. 
Are wrapped in the embrace of a dreamless 
sleep. 

We need have no fear, the debt will be paid, 
Altho' our bodies in the grave are laid; 
Doing not as u e please, but do as we must, 
Our corpse, as they say, returns to the dust — 

Where nature proceeds, with a wrecking crew 
Of bacteria, which will then proceed to undo. 
What haih taken a lifetime to arrange; 
This, to the unlearned, seems heartless and 
strange. 

To the good things of life we hold only a lease, 
Which we must yield up at our decease; 
We may perhaps re-enter, and reposess, 
But this, however, is only a guess. 



170 JLIBERTY, I.OVE A]ST> I^AW. 

So far as we know, we exist, we are one, 
Death ends our existence and then we are done; 
If we should live again we'll perhaps be content; 
Our existence here, then, is only just lent. 

Nature, therefore, observing the utility plan, 
Gravitates all things to their source, even man 
Obeys universal law; mind is not spared, 
Being constantly torn down, as often repaired. 

Our bodies are replaced each seven years- 
We loose it, regain it, without sighiny; or tears; 
Every atom is changed-by wise men, it. is said- 
From the soles of our feet to the crown of our 
Itfead; 

This being a fact, as well as the truth. 
Nature, then, is the fountain of perpetual youth; 
We should therefore mingle our youth with 

our years, 
And substitute happiness for sighing and tears. 

Wise men, it is said often change their mind. 
But fools having none, will perhaps not find 
The need of a change; it being so small, 
They neither can change or loose it withal. 



THE DUTY OF THE LIVING. 171 

Yet everything changing, always the same, 
Are perhaps as they should be; so we now claim 
That all things are passing, only deeds remain. 
If we've made the world better then it is plain- 
That we've been a success, and easyto tell, 
Thai he liveth twice, who lives the first life well; 
If we'd live again we must struggle to win it, 
By mak ing the world better for having lived in it. 

Liberty is a boon for which we should strive; 
Humanity and slavery together can't thrive; 
Love grows and thrives on the beautiful tree, 
Where chains are broken and humanity is free. 



Law holds aloft the philosophers scales, 
To weigh your wrong conduct, Sir, it never fails; 
If you know the right,and the right you maintain 
No law condemns you, while here you remain. 

There are two other things that I ought, per- 
haps mention. 
That may relieve your mind of anawful tension; 
You need have no fear of heave.i or hell, 
For reasons that I need not at this time tell. 



172 J^IBERTY, I.OVE AKD LAW. 



Don't permit your mind, on those things to 

roam, 
You'll find both conditions, perhaps, aiound 

home; 
At least for such conditions you need not look 

twice- 
For tortures excettra adjoins paradise. 




RETROGRAi>K METAMORPHOSIS. 17.3 



CHAPTER II. 

We may have often before, returned to the sod, 
Being but an abstractiiin of the essence of God; 
We are. therefore, eternal in spite of our fears; 
Must journey in s.jme way, through this vale 
of tears. 

Not knowing for certain, from whence we then 

came, 
We act our part meekly, pass out all the same; 
l^eing a part of deity, we need make no fuss, 
About returning to Him who is part of us. 

Since force holds all things in an eternal em- 
brace, 
Organizing, developing and holding in place, 
So, also, does force aid in iis destruction, 
Following naturally enough, as a logical deduc- 
tion. 

Jhus when planets are spent, their primordal 

forces 
Are disorganized by law, as a matter of course; 
Our own lunar orb, when its forces are spent. 
Delivers back its energy, a;, a thing that is lent; 



174 JLIBERTY, I.OVE AXD I.AW. 

Casting out into space her worn out material, 
Becomes a floating cinder, cold, dead, aerial — 
Giving back to nature her borrowed matter, 

All bodies pursuing the course of the latter. 

-• 

All religions thus, have their growth and decay, 
Their conquest, their power, as well as their day; 
Being arrogant and oppressive, we are made feel 
Their power, as they grind us. under their heel. 

Like all great bodies, their light only lent, 
Slowly die out, when their forces are spent; 
Like the body of pieachei^ in Greater New 

York, 
Have shook up the wine and pulled out the 

cork — 

Denouncing the Book as an unsafe guide, 
A worn out hobby for humanity to ride; 
It has come at last, as such things must, 
And right glad are we to see the thing bust. 

A reform has come, and has now come to stay; 
We may yet hope to see a far better day 
When the church will teach science instead of 

a creed, 
And mankind be judged, by knowledge and 

deed. 



RETROGRADE METAMORPHOSIS. 1 75 



Thanks to Bro. Cadmen, and all of the rest • 
Who are entitled by us to be called the blest; 
Who free us from bondage and break off the 

chains- 
Who perform the glad rites on her last remains. 

We knew it would come, would happen in lime, 
But hardly looked for it ahead of this rhyme; 
Better than never, that it happen late, 
The forces of nature do not for us wait. 

As the swan when dying sings her best song. 
This, then, is the time for which we've waited 

so long; 
We were hardly expecting the explosion so soon. 
Yet elad to not be found behind in the tune 

The church having passed the day of her youth, 
Will again be absorbed in the fountain of truth; 
The Tree of Knowledge be stripped of its swords, 
And the heads of the church no longer be gourds. 

Mankind, at last, will find themselves free, 
To pluck, and to eat, of Liberty's tree; 
The flag- of freedom will now be unfurled, 
Liberty, Love and Law, piroclaimed to the world. 



11 G LIBERTY, I.OVE AIS^D LAW. 

The crown will be placed on the brow of worth, 
And happiness hover round each home and 

hearth; 
The greatest good, will then be supreme. 
All things will be real, and not what they seem; 

The phantom of fancy become the real. 
Man. only will worship his highest ideal; 
All authority and power, not from on high. 
Man can help himself, if permitted to try. 

His passion be subject to an intelligent brain, 
Knowing the right, will from evil refrain; 
Cultivate the virtues of good health, good cheer, 
Of the wrath to come, he need have no fear. 

The dark cloud of dread hath a silver lining, 
Through which but dimly, the light has been 

shining; 
Creed, superstition and ignorance have - long 

enough ruled; 
Behind the dark cloud our minds have been 

schooled. 

A ray of sunshine is hailed with delight — 
Then, give us more liberty, give us more light! 



I.ET US 3^E HONOR BRIGHT. 177 



Tl^e £ndin^. 



Thus education's generous flood, 
Doth drench mankind, but not in blood; 
While superstition appeals to fears, 
Causes^ blood-shed, strife and bitter tears. 

One binds the soul with endless fetter. 
The other seeks to make man better; 
Look at both ways now, my good friends 
Perhaps you may yet make amends. 

And now kind friends, I must soon close, 
Nor as a martyr do 1 pose; 
What I have said, and say to you. 
Is, read the story, read it through; 

And if you and I cannot agree. 
Its worse for you than 'tis for me; 
I've read it with my glasses off, 
At sacred things, I seldom scoff — 



178 lilBERTY, liOVTE AKD I^AW. 

Not that for such we have a care, 
We're ruled by law, and not by fear. 
I've left so much that's mirthful out, 
For fear of adding to your doubt; 

And some things somehow tumbled in. 
That preachers would think rather thin; 
But there's one thing, I almost know, 
This book itself, will hardly go — 

With preachers, Monks and hypocrits- 
It's cut too close, too close it fits; 
But never mind, I am content, 
For time's not wasted, when 'tis spent — 

In cleaning out the weeds and wood, 
Whether sown or not, the work is good; 
Someone must be the pioneer. 
And grub and chop, pile brush and clear. 

Someone must face a frowning world. 
Get his hair combed, and maybe curled; 
It may as well perhaps be me; 
Few other folks speak up so free. 



I.ET US BE HONOR BRIGHT. 179 



Few other boys can stand the frown, 

Get up so easy when they're down; 

You, Sir, have thought what I have thought, 

And could have said, as well as not — 

What I have said; but then you see, 
We're only now just partly free; 
The time will come, when all will look 
Through the same glasses at the Book — 

And think with wonder and surprise, 
Where our ancestors kept their eyes. 
Or how they ploded through this world, 
Without a torch or flag unfurled — 

I own right up, I cannot tell. 

They worked and prayed, and dreaded hell; 

I confess right now, it's rather late, 

JSt Peter yet stands at the gate; 

He is the same, so 1 am told. 

Who in his day, was called the bold; 

Who cursed and swore, by twos and threes. 

And for his candor, got the keys. 



180 I.IBERTY, LOVE AKT> LAW. 

Did worse than that, or, I don't know, 
Before he heard a rooster crow; 
Cut off the high priest's servent's ear, 
And then denied his Lord, through fear. 

But that is neither here nor there, 
Some folks get treated more than fair; 
I'd not. however, take his place, 
Altho', perhaps, it's no disgrace, 

For he must always stand right there. 
Like an usher, at a county fair- 
Examine passports, people too; 
'Twould worry me, now I tell you. 

First, comes a man, from way down east. 
He was, on earth, a Virgin Priest- 
The gate swings wide to pass him through: 
Next comes along an un-washed Jew. 

And all the Baptists, black and white, 
And now and then a Campbellite. 
They come by scores, they come by twos, 
It worries him, to beat the Jews. 



T.TDT us BE HONOR BRIGHT. 181 

So Peter's job is hard to hold, 

No wonder they called him the bold. 

Now all this time, if this is so, 

They have high times right down below. 

If you died young or when asleep, 
You can roam around among the sheep; 
If you've tried hard to save your coats, 
Then please step over with the goats; 

For Satan wants those Christians too, 
So just look out he may get you; r 
They must be perfect then, or none, 
Tried as by fire 'til they are done. 

If you have called someone a fool, 
Then you belong to Satan's school; 
Perhaps you've called someone a liar- 
Then you may help keep up the fire, 

A thousand things you cannot do. 
You must, or this plan won't save you; 
If you've deserted kith and kin, 
I believe they say that lets you in. 



182 LIBERTY, LOYE AXD T.AW. 

You must then hale both father and mother, 
Else your place, is where folks smother; 
If you never went where you were sent, 
And evQiy hour did not repent. 

My judgment is, that six in seven, 
Of saints of earth, will then miss heaxen; 
From the same wrath all seek to flee. 
Ten thousand oruide-posts disagree. 

All may be wrong, all can't be right, 
I go my way now, honor bright; 
I only guess this thing to be, — 
Through your eye-glass this thing I see. 

I don't, mind you, say it is true; 
If 'tis, but few will e'er get through; 
It's cost a world of tears and blood, 
And deluged earth as in a flood. 

Of darkness, gloom, and fell despair; 
I say the thing would not l)e fair- 
If I could not, then, say my say; 
I never kick when people pray. 



T.ET US BE HONOR BRIGHT. 183 

And now once more, I'm almost through, 
I like to do as preachers do, 
And give you all, just one more chance, 
Before your money you advance — 

Don't you blame me nor blame the cook. 

But rather blame the well read Book; 

It's not the food, but just the kind, 

That weaves the thread that forms the mind. 

The food supplies the missing link. 
We cannot, therefore, help but think; 
If we, then, think along straight lines, 
It's because the food makes healthy minds. 

Stand up and think, that's what I mean, 
To the pure mind all things are clean. 
Let your free mind through this book range, 
Or let it be and save your change. 



THE END. 



LET us BE HONOJl BRIGHT. 181 

So Peter's job is hard to hold, 

No wonder they called him the bold. 

Now all this time, if this is so, 

They have high times right down below. 

If you died young or when asleep, 
You can roam around among the sheep; 
If you've tried hard to save your coats, 
Then please step over with the goats; 

For Satan wants those Christians too, 
So just look out he may get you; 
They must be perfect then, or none, 
Tried as by fire 'til they are done. 

If you have called someone a fool, 
Then you belong to Satan's school; 
Perhaps you've called someone a liar- 
Then you may help keep up the fire, 

A thousand things you cannot do, 
You must, or this plan won't save you; 
If you've deserted kith and kin, 
I believe they say that lets you in. 



183 r.IBERTY, I.OVE A^N^D I.AW. 

You must then hale both father and mother, 
Else your place, is where folks smother; 
If you never went where you were sent, 
And every hour did not repent. 

My judgment is, that six in seven, 
Of saints of earth, will then miss heaven; 
From the same wrath all seek to flee, 
Ten thousand guide-posts disagree. 

All m'ay be wrong, all can't be right, 
I go my way now, honor bright; 
I only guess this thing to be, — 
Through your eye-glass this thing I see. 

I don't, mind you, say it is true; 
If 'tis, but few will e'er get through; 
It's cost a world of tears and blood. 
And deluged earth as in a flood. 

Of darkness, gloorn, and fell despair; 
I say the thing would not be fair- 
If I could not, then, say my say; 
T never kick when people prav. 



T.ET US BE HONOR BRIGHT. 183 

And now once more, I'm almost through, 
I like to do as preachers do, 
And give you all, just one more chance, 
Before your money you advance — 

Don't you blame me nor blame the cook, 

But rather blame the well read Book; 

It's not- the food, but just the kind. 

That weaves the thread that forms the mind. 

The food supplies the missing link, 
VVe cannot, therefore, help but think; 
If we, then, think along straight lines, 
It's because the food makes healthy minds. 

Stand up and think, that's what I mean. 
To the pure mind all things are clean. 
Let your free mind through this book range, 
Or let it be and save your change. 



THE END. 



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